A US official says an 'unacceptably high' number of US weapons components have landed in Russian hands
US firms need to be vigilant with their exports, says Deputy National Security Advisor Daleep Singh.
Singh said an "unacceptably high" number of US components have been found in Russia's weapons.
Companies shouldn't become "unwitting cogs in Russia's arsenal of autocracy," Singh said on Tuesday.
An "unacceptably high" number of US arms components are landing in Russian hands, a US official said on Tuesday.
"The percentage of Russian battlefield weaponry with US or allied branded components is alarmingly and unacceptably high," said Daleep Singh, US deputy national security advisor for international economics.
Singh was speaking at an event hosted by Washington think tank Brookings Institution on May 28 when he urged US tech companies to be more vigilant with their exports, per Bloomberg.
"I want to issue an urgent call for corporate responsibility," Singh said.
"Put your creativity and resources to work, know your customers, know their customers, and know the end users," he added. "Ensure that American firms are not unwitting cogs in Russia's arsenal of autocracy."
When asked about Singh's remarks, a spokesperson for the State Department said it was aware of the reports.
"The United States continues to use all relevant tools – such as export controls and sanctions – to prevent Russia from acquiring sensitive items and technology for its unlawful war in Ukraine," the spokesperson said. "We work closely with the US private sector, as well as foreign allied and partner states, in these efforts."
Singh is widely seen as the architect of the Biden administration's economic sanctions on Russia when it first invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
The 48-year-old Harvard and MIT graduate left the White House for the private sector in February 2022 and was named PGIM Fixed Income's chief global economist in June 2022. He rejoined the Biden administration in February this year.
Singh's remarks on Tuesday spotlighted the difficulties the US faces in limiting the flow of its goods to Russia.
According to an investigation conducted by Nikkei Asia last year, Russia still managed to acquire hundreds of millions of dollars worth of US-made chips in spite of prevailing sanctions. The outlet said most of the goods were routed into Russia through Hong Kong and China.
"It took decades to build the financial sanctions architecture after 9/11. We've got to do that at warp speed for technology and goods companies," Singh said on Tuesday.
June 5, 5:00 a.m. — This story has been updated with comments from a spokesperson for the State Department.
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