Hong Kong has become a key hub for supplying Western microelectronics to Russia, according to a new study by the The Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation.
The report highlights Hong Kong-based Woeroon Electronics, which has also appeared in previous NAKO reports. “The company ranks among the top five suppliers of goods from 18 European manufacturers — more than any other Hong Kong company,” the CFHK study notes.
Between 2022 and 2024, Woeroon carried out nearly 26,000 shipments of critical components to Russia, worth around $28 million. Over half of these were microchips. The highest demand was for products from Germany’s Infineon Technologies, Switzerland’s STMicroelectronics and Traco Power, and the Netherlands’ Nexperia and NXP.
“Woeroon has supplied Russia for years with microelectronics from top manufacturers, especially Texas Instruments and Analog Devices. We’ve also seen the company supplying Irish Taoglas antennas, used in drone navigation systems — primarily for Shaheds — and missiles,” says NAKO senior researcher Viktoriia Vyshnivska.
Despite this, none of the surveyed jurisdictions — the EU, the UK, Switzerland, or the US — have imposed sanctions on Woeroon Electronics.
This highlights the fragmented and inconsistent sanctions policy against Russia. As a result, companies in Hong Kong or Russia often remain unsanctioned and continue to gain access to Western technology.