Russian defense industry getting machinery from Taiwan, evading sanctions - media

This is stated in a joint investigation by The Insider and the Taiwanese edition of The Reporter.

After the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, an unprecedented number of international sanctions were imposed on Russia, and Taiwan, one of the world's largest producers of electronics and microchips, joined many of them.

However, as the investigation claims, Taiwan continues to supply Russia with metalworking machines used in the defense industry. Despite the fact that the authorities banned such deliveries, the machines continue to be delivered to Russia through third countries, mainly through Türkiye.

Resale brings manufacturers and intermediaries high profits, the probe reads. Thus, a machine tool costing from $60,000 to $180,000 was sold through intermediaries in third countries to the Russian manufacturer of cruise missiles and space equipment, Moscow-based Kometa Corporation, for a million dollars.

The publication cites the story of an anonymous employee of the Taiwan Industry Association who visited a machinery exhibition in mainland China in 2023. Against the background of low demand from China due to the ongoing crisis, the expo was full of Russian buyers ready to buy equipment on the spot, for hard cash.

Last year, Russia reportedly imported $1.7 billion worth of American and European mircochips, despite sanctions designed to prevent Vladimir Putin from obtaining technology used to wage war against Ukraine.