Your Wednesday Briefing: How Russia Gets Chips for Its Weapons

How Western weapons technology reaches Russia

As Ukraine tries to repel Russia from its territory, the U.S. and its allies have been fighting a parallel battle to keep the chips needed for weapons systems, drones and tanks out of Russian hands.

But denying Russia access to chips has been a challenge, even though the U.S. and its allies have stopped direct sales of chips to the country. While sweeping sanctions have diminished Russia’s ability to manufacture weaponry, the country is still finding a way to access many electronic components.

Sales of chips from the U.S. and Europe to Armenia, Kazakhstan and other Central Asian countries have surged. But documents from U.S. and European officials show these are being rerouted to Russia.

Other countries have also stepped in to provide Russia with some of what it needs. Russia’s chip imports are rising, particularly from China and Hong Kong.

The result is devastating: As the U.S. and the E.U. furnish Ukrainians with weapons to keep fighting against Russia, their own technology is being used by Russia to fight back.

Context: Russia may be running out of a stockpile of weapons and electronics it accumulated before invading Ukraine, making it more urgent for the Kremlin to obtain new chips.

Other news from the war:

• Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, and Russia’s leader, Vladimir Putin, made separate visits to frontline areas in southern and eastern Ukraine.

• A judge upheld the detention of Evan Gershkovich, the Wall Street Journal reporter who was arrested last month and accused of espionage.

• The Group of 7 nations ended a three-day meeting with a show of unity against Russia and China after differences emerged in U.S. and European approaches to the two countries.

A cease-fire fails in Sudan

As the hour of an announced cease-fire passed, residents of Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, reported loud blasts and gunfire, and a U.N. spokesman said that there was no sign that the fighting had abated.

The Sudanese Army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which have been fighting for control of the country for four days now, accused each other of violating the cease-fire. Security across the country has deteriorated, with many residents stranded at home for days without electricity or water, and more than a dozen hospitals are shut down.

The E.U.’s top humanitarian aid officer in Sudan was shot in the capital city and suffered serious injuries. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that an American diplomatic convoy had come under attack in Khartoum, but that its personnel were safe.

It was not clear who was in control of the country, if anyone. The fighting has killed at least 185 people and wounded more than 1,800.

Concerns are growing that the fighting could embroil other nations in the region. President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt publicly addressed Egypt’s military involvement in Sudan. He said in a meeting with top military officials that Egypt was working to ensure the safety of Egyptian troops who were captured by R.S.F. forces at a military base on Saturday.

Background: The battle, between forces loyal to two rival military leaders, has crushed hopes that Sudan would transition to democracy.

The case for marriage rights in India

India’s Supreme Court began hearing arguments yesterday in a case to legalize same-sex marriage. A ruling in favor of gay unions would greatly expand the rights of members of India’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community who say they continue to lead marginalized lives in society.

India’s conservative Hindu-nationalist government is opposed to same-sex unions. In a court filing on Monday, it called them an “urban-elitist concept far removed from the social ethos of the country.”

But the court may not share those views. Almost five years ago, the court struck down a ban on consensual gay sex, ushering in a new era for L.G.B.T.Q. rights in India.

That action and other rulings fueled hopes that the court would act as a socially liberal counterweight to the party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

What’s next: It is unclear how long the court will take to reach a decision, but a ruling in favor of the petitioners would make India an outlier for gay rights in Asia, where most countries still outlaw same-sex marriage.

THE LATEST NEWS

Asia Pacific

• China’s economy expanded 4.5 percent from January through March compared to the same period in 2022, recovering faster than expected after the government lifted “zero Covid” restrictions.

• At least 21 people died in a fire at a hospital in Beijing.

• Apple opened its first two stores in India as the country takes on a growing role as a production hub.

• An experienced climber from Northern Ireland was found dead and another from India was missing after scaling the summit of Annapurna in central Nepal.

Around the World

• The judge in the defamation trial against Fox News in the U.S. said that the case was resolved, just as the highly-anticipated trial was set to begin. The settlement included a $787.5 million payment from Fox, according to a lawyer for the company that filed the suit.

• A Times investigation reveals how the Mexican military became the first and most prolific user of advanced Israeli spyware.

• The U.S. could soon bring criminal charges against top Syrian officials for the 2016 execution of Layla Shweikani, an American aid worker.

• Tunisian authorities arrested a prominent opposition leader and three other officials in his party, an escalation of President Kais Saied’s crackdown on political opponents.

Other Big Stories

• U.S. drug regulators approved an additional coronavirus booster shot for people older than 65 and those with compromised immune systems.

• The Atacama Desert high in the Chilean Andes is already home to many observatories, and could add a gargantuan new one.

A Morning Read

Housing can be hard to come by in Japan, especially in crowded cities like Tokyo.

But akiya, or abandoned rural homes, abound — the most recent government data reported about 8.5 million of them, roughly 14 percent of the country’s housing stock. Now, officials are trying to make akiya more appealing, and some buyers are snapping up the inexpensive homes.

ARTS AND IDEAS

Learning to love my Kiwi accent

Pete McKenzie, a New Zealander based in New York, wrote about struggling to be understood in America. Here’s an excerpt from The Times’s Australia Letter:

Accent woes are as old as immigration itself. But I’ve been surprised at how severe these challenges are for New Zealanders, specifically.

American friends find me harder to understand than other international students from Brazil, India, Chile and Finland. One friend spent a month thinking that I was in New York to study the Baltics, not politics. For a week, another acquaintance thought my name was Pip, not Pete.

It’s an isolating feeling, and I even dabbled with an American accent, wondering if I could hide my identity for convenience. But in time I sought out other New Zealanders for coffee catch-ups and movie nights — joking about shared vocal struggles gave me a surprising sense of solidarity.

PLAY, WATCH, EAT

What to Cook

These pink grapefruit bars are a ritzier take on lemon squares.

What to Read

Julia Lee’s memoir “Biting the Hand” follows her on her journey to forging an identity as a Korean American.

What to Watch

In “Beau Is Afraid,” Joaquin Phoenix plays a terminal sad sack who’s an ideal vessel for a creep out.

Wellness

How to start a yoga practice, even if you’re reluctant.

Now Time to Play

Play the Mini Crossword, and a clue: “I’m so over this” (three letters).

Here are the Wordle and the Spelling Bee.

You can find all our puzzles here.

That’s it for today’s briefing. See you next time. — Dan

P.S. The word “postrational” appeared for the first time in The Times yesterday, in a magazine article on Twitter’s impact.

“The Daily” is about how the I.R.S. wants to remake itself.

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