Intel and AMD halt sales of industrial chips to Russia

Two of the largest US semiconductor manufacturers, Intel and AMD, have suspended their chip sales to Russia. These restrictions are in accordance with the trade sanctions that the US government has implemented since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The new export barriers are targeting chips that will be used in the military and dual chips that could be used for both military and civilian purposes. This, however, does not include chips for consumer devices like personal computers, mobile phones, digital cameras and more. The ban will be in effect starting March 3. 

The ban expressly states that these chips include the ones with industrial usage for private companies, government bodies and all individual figures that have been specifically mentioned by the US government, "including the president, prime minister, deputy prime ministers, federal ministers, State Duma deputies and members of the Federation Council, editors-in-chief and deputy editors-in-chief of state media."

"The company is closely monitoring the situation and is enforcing applicable sanctions and export control rules, including new sanctions imposed by OFAC and rules issued by BIS," said an Intel spokesperson in Russia.

Meanwhile, Taiwan-based chip manufacturing company TSMC has also agreed to comply with the new export control regulations, the company said on February 25. Russian homegrown chip companies like Baikal, MCST, Yadro and STC Module are all manufactured by TSMC.