U.S. Government Urges Companies to Halt Shipments to Foreign Parties Amid Concerns of Transshipment to Russia in Ukraine

American companies are being urged by the U.S. government to halt the shipment of goods to more than 600 foreign parties over concerns that these items could be used by Russia in its invasion of Ukraine. This is due to the fact that Russian weapons left on the battlefield in Ukraine have been found to contain American components, despite sanctions imposed on Russia following its invasion in 2022.

At the Commerce Department’s annual export control conference in Washington, D.C., Assistant Secretary Matthew Axelrod revealed that letters were sent to at least 20 American companies asking them to voluntarily cease shipping to more than 600 foreign parties due to the high risk of transshipment to Russia. The companies were involved in the production and sale of products that have been found in missiles and drones recovered in Ukraine.

Senior U.S. officials from the Commerce, State, and Treasury departments have also been engaging with leaders of U.S. companies to explore further actions they can take to prevent their products from being used by Russia. Despite these efforts, it remains unclear how effective they will be in stopping Russia’s war efforts in Ukraine.