US charges man with helping smuggle microelectronics with military uses to Russia

US prosecutors on Thursday charged a Russian-German man with smuggling large quantities of microelectronics technology with military applications to Russia, for eventual use in that country's war in Ukraine.

Arthur Petrov, a 33-year-old dual Russian-German citizen, was arrested on August 26 in Cyprus at the US government's request, according to a statement from US Attorney Damian Williams in Manhattan.

Petrov and two unnamed Russian co-conspirators were accused of using shell companies to conceal the fraudulent procurement from US distributors of microelectronics subject to American export controls.

Prosecutors said the technology was destined for Electrocom, a St. Petersburg, Russia-based supplier of electronic components to companies that provide weapons and other equipment to the Russian military.

One of the co-conspirators is Electrocom's co-founder...