The US Treasury expanded sanctions on Russian IT firms, adding Baikal Electronics and MCST to the restricted list. These two companies are central to the development of Baikal and Elbrus processors, respectively, and their inclusion marks a significant tightening of controls on Russia’s tech supply chain.
Previously, US-based manufacturers faced limits on supplying specific software and technologies to Russian design centers. The current move broadens that prohibition to encompass all financial transactions, with a deadline for wrapping up trades set for October 15. In parallel, Taiwan’s semiconductor giant TSMC has already declined to provide completed processors to Russian entities.
Analysts warn that the new measures could cut Russia off from essential foreign intellectual property, processor architectures, and other critical design data. The sanctions are also likely to constrain Russia’s ability to manufacture chips at foreign contract facilities, reducing access to global fabrication capacity and disrupting supply chains.
There have been reports of computing setups running Elbrus 8C processors handling modern titles and major games, reflecting broader attention to Russia’s evolving hardware lineup and the potential impact on software ecosystems and streaming activities. This heightened scrutiny underscores how sanctions reshape the practical landscape for Russian tech development and consumer use alike.
Note: The information above reflects developments observed in multiple sources that track sanctions and their effects on the Russian IT sector.