UK sanctions Russian microprocessor makers

UK sanctions Russian microprocessor makers to pressure Russia on Ukraine-related issues, cutting off access to Arm’s processor architecture. Though the sanctioned companies’ chips are considered subpar, they are crucial for Russia’s technological goals.

Russian manufacturers of microprocessors, Mikron, Baikal Electronics, and MCST (Moscow Center of SPARC Technologies), have been added to the UK government’s sanctions list. The Russian manufacturers will no longer have access to processor architecture from chip designer Arm, as Arm Ltd, the licensee, is based in Cambridge, England and must comply with the sanctions.

‘The purpose of this provision is to encourage Russia to cease actions destabilizing Ukraine or undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty or independence of Ukraine,’ explained the UK government.

Although the chips manufactured by these companies have been described by experts as inferior to their competition, they are believed to be critical to Russia’s efforts to achieve technological independence and bridge the shortages in the Russian IT sector.