Russian Firms Acquired Spare Parts for 25-Year-Old ASML Machines, Reports Trouw

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – Russian companies have managed to acquire spare parts for 25-year-old chipmaking machines made by ASML between 2022 and 2023 through secondary markets, despite sanctions imposed by the European Union, according to a report by the Dutch newspaper Trouw, which cited Russian customs documents.

ASML, the largest technology firm in Europe, holds a dominant position in the market for advanced lithography systems that employ light beams to generate circuitry for chips. While the equipment from the 1990s is not classified as “dual use” technology with potential military significance, it remains valuable for Russian firms producing analogue chips, including those used in drones for the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, European sanctions have prohibited the sale of electronic equipment to Russia. ASML stated that it complies with these sanctions and noted that it had minimal sales in Russia even before the restrictions were in place.

“ASML doesn’t sell products or services to Russia and does not engage with Russian distributors. No products have been sent to Russia by ASML in recent years, and sanctions prevent the sale of PAS and Twinscan systems, along with spare parts, to Russia,” the company said in response to inquiries.

Trouw’s report highlighted ASML’s PAS-5500 tools, which were produced in the 1990s and early 2000s when ASML was emerging as a competitor to leading companies like Japan’s Nikon and Canon. It noted that Russian trading firms sourced spare parts through intermediaries in China.

Reuters could not independently verify the claims outlined in the report.

The PAS-5500 is no longer manufactured, but many machines produced during that time are still operational. Used machines can sometimes be sold or refurbished, and ASML continues to supply spare parts to authorized owners.

According to Trouw, the report indicated that it had seen evidence of 170 instances where relevant spare parts were imported by Russian firms. The companies involved did not provide comments, and the Chinese vendors mentioned were untraceable.