💰 Between January and April 2023, over 5,000 Russian import declarations for STMicroelectronics materials were recorded, totaling $29.5 million. These findings undermine STMicroelectronics’ claims of compliance, as the company had stated it aligned its exports with regulations as early as February 2022.
⚠️ The Observatoire des Armements, an independent research center, criticized these shipments, accusing both the government and companies of failing to uphold sanctions. These findings contradict claims by Olivier Becht, the Minister for Foreign Trade, who asserted that no weapons had been delivered to Russia since 2021.
🗣️ Julien Bayou, a member of parliament, questioned Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire and Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu about the accountability for these exports. He called for an audit of public funding allocated to these companies and stricter controls on dual-use goods, which are being diverted to support Russia’s war effort.
🇺🇦 This issue raises serious ethical and moral concerns, particularly regarding France’s responsibility to adhere to international sanctions and prevent its technologies from being used for military purposes in Ukraine. The impact of these exports could be devastating for the Ukrainian population, which continues to endure the consequences of Russia’s war of aggression.
