The U.S. government is taking steps to prevent American companies from shipping goods to more than 600 foreign parties over concerns that the items could be diverted to Russia for use in the invasion of Ukraine. The Commerce Department has sent letters to at least 20 companies, warning them about the potential misuse of their products. These companies manufacture and sell items that have been found in missiles and drones recovered in Ukraine.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, the U.S. and more than 30 other countries have imposed sanctions to hinder Russia’s ability to wage war by restricting access to Western technology. Despite these efforts, American components are still being discovered in Russian weapons left on the battlefield in Ukraine.
At the department’s annual export control conference in Washington, D.C., Assistant Secretary Matthew Axelrod revealed that letters had been sent to American companies with a list of foreign parties to whom they should refrain from shipping due to the risk of transshipment to Russia. Senior officials from the Commerce, State, and Treasury departments are also engaging with top executives from U.S. companies to explore additional measures to prevent their products from being used by Russia.