(Bloomberg) — US restrictions on exports and work with more than three dozen allies are cutting Russia off from the vast majority of technology that President Vladimir Putin needs to sustain his invasion of Ukraine, a Biden administration official said.
Global semiconductor exports to Russia have fallen 90% since Russia’s attack on Feb.
24, said Alan Estevez, under secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security. US shipments of all goods to the nation have plunged about 95% by value, while American sales in the aviation and aerospace industry have tumbled 99.9%, he said in a virtual conference hosted by the Center for a New American Security on Tuesday.
The US export controls, along with those of 37 other nations, have “essentially put a stranglehold on Russia’s ability to sustain its forces over time,” Estevez said, who has called himself the US “chief technology protection officer.” “Russia will not be able to sustain its military over time, because you need semiconductors to build just about any piece of top military gear.”
The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security spent months prior to Russia’s invasion in late February coordinating potential export controls with global allies to make sure that Moscow wouldn’t simply substitute technology exports from another nation for those that were blocked by the US.
The rules are being used to deny Russia access to products used in the defense, aerospace, and maritime sectors.
The department’s efforts have resulted in 37 nations including Japan, Australia as well as the European Union’s member countries joining the US in imposing expansive controls on goods that they export to Russia.
Since the start of the war, the US also has suspended carriers including Aeroflot PJSC, Russia’s biggest airline, from receiving U.S. parts and services for their planes.
Much of recent BIS efforts has focused on Russia and China, and another official from the agency said last month that the US is looking at increasing the penalties for companies violating rules that limit export of products that threaten national security.
Read more: US Plans to Boost Penalty on Russia, China Export Violations
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