A court in the Netherlands has sentenced a Russian national to three years in prison for violating EU sanctions by transferring sensitive semiconductor technology to Russian intelligence.
German Aksenov, 43, had worked as an engineer in the Dutch semiconductor industry from 2015-2024, including for ASML, a leading manufacturer of microchip equipment, and NXP Semiconductors, a supplier of semiconductor components.
Prosecutors said Aksenov downloaded files containing technical specifications for microchip production from ASML and NXP servers onto a USB drive and external hard disk, which he was expected to hand over to an agent of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) in Moscow, Bloomberg reported.
According to the court, the information he transferred “can contribute to strengthening [Russia’s] military and strategic capabilities. That has consequences for Ukraine and indirectly for international security and stability.”
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Yeah. The guy probably got money from someone, will patiently wait 3y without being sent to the front. It’s a joke.
It’s actually promoting espionage and treason.