FT: EU plans to ban sale of gaming equipment to Russia over use in drone warfare
Pravda Ukraine
The EU proposes banning the sale of video game equipment to Russia to prevent its military from using it to operate drones deployed in Ukraine.
Source: Financial Times
Details: Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s top diplomat, announced that gaming consoles such as Sony’s PlayStation and Microsoft’s Xbox will be included in a new round of sanctions set to coincide with the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February.
Quote: “We are really looking into all the types of things that help Russia to wage this war to put them on the sanctions list,” Kallas told journalists. “Even the consoles for video games, because apparently these are the ones that they operate drones with.”
Russia has been forced to seek alternatives as Western sanctions limited access to military and electronic components, turning to suppliers in Türkiye, the UAE, and China for technologies to strengthen its arsenal.
Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony, the world’s three leading gaming console makers, have ceased sales in Russia as early as March 2022. The EU embargo will target dealers in the bloc who export gaming equipment to Russia, including second-hand electronics sellers.
The ban will cover consoles, gamepads, flight simulator controllers, joysticks, and other control devices that can be used for remotely operating drones, EU officials said.
China remains the largest supplier of such goods to Russia, selling over US$120 million worth of equipment last year, according to Trade Data Monitor. This marks a significant increase from US$30 million in 2022 when Russia’s invasion prompted Western companies to exit the market.
“Drone remote controllers are essential for military drone operations and should undoubtedly be banned,” said Olena Bilousova, a military and dual-use goods expert at the Kyiv School of Economics.
However, she warned that the EU ban may have limited impact, as most operators use Chinese controllers that remain readily available on Russian online marketplaces.
Kallas also noted that the sanctions list will include chemicals “needed for the Russian military industry” and restrictions on the import of liquefied natural gas.
Background: At the initiative of the analysts of the Economic Security Bureau, on 16 December, the National Security and Defence Council imposed personal sanctions on four legal entities and two individuals involved in the production of Russian combat FPV drones.
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