Arms Exports from Turkey to Russia Surge Significantly, Financial Times Reports

This year, arms exports from Turkey to Russia have surged significantly, according to the Financial Times. In the first nine months of 2023, Istanbul exported high-priority goods worth $158 million to Russia and five former Soviet countries across 45 categories, including microchips, communication equipment, and optical components. This figure is three times higher compared to the same period in 2022. Additionally, from 2015 to 2021, the average for this metric was approximately $28 million.

Furthermore, Turkey's imports of priority goods from G7 countries reached about $500 million in 2023, an increase of over 60% compared to the same period from 2015 to 2021. These goods are subject to export controls by the U.S., EU, Japan, and the UK to prevent their entry into Russia. However, this is bypassed with the assistance of intermediaries to obscure the ultimate destinations.

For instance, Istanbul's Azint Elektronik was placed under U.S. sanctions in November for supplying high-priority goods to Russia, including electronic integrated circuits. According to Russian customs data, from July 2022 to July 2023, the company sold equipment worth $1.3 million to the Russian Federation, with $300,000 comprising priority goods. The buyer listed is the IC Component company in Saint Petersburg. Its director and shareholder, Elena Frolova, is connected to another company, EKB Neva, which was sanctioned by the U.S. in May.