Due To Western Sanctions, Semiconductor Exports To Russia Now Drop By 90 Percent

US Secretary of Commerce, Gina Raimondo, continues to enforce sanctions on Russia.(photo: twitter @SelectUSA)

JAKARTA – After the western sanctions due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine since a few months ago, now global semiconductor exports to the red bear country have fallen 90%. This was revealed by the US Secretary of Commerce, Gina Raimondo, Wednesday, June 29, since the United States and its allies implemented strict export controls in Moscow.

Raimondo, speaking at the Commerce Ministry's annual conference, also said that the controls placed on Russia's aerospace sector also put pressure on its ability to generate revenue and support military aviation.

"Russia may be forced to ground between half and two-thirds of its commercial aircraft in the next four years to cannibalize them for spare parts," Raimondo said.

The statement came a day after the administration of US President, Joe Biden, added five companies in China to a trade blacklist on Tuesday, June 28. They are suspected of supporting Russian military and defense industrial bases. Meanwhile the US continues to exert its power to enforce sanctions against Moscow.

The United States has been working with its allies all along to punish Russian President, Vladimir Putin, for the invasion. Moscow, on the other hand, has called its invasion a "special operation".

The US also sanctioned a number of Russian companies and oligarchs and added others to a trade blacklist.

While US officials have previously said that China is generally complying with the restrictions, it is Washington that has pledged to closely monitor compliance and enforce regulations.

On Wednesday, Raimondo also stated his threat to "turn off" China's leading chipmaker SMIC if found to be supplying chips to Russia.

"What if SMIC or another China-based semiconductor company is found supplying chips to Russia?" he said. "We will close it and we can, because almost every chip in the world and in China is made using US equipment and software and I intend to fulfill that commitment if needed."