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.”
The EU sanctions, initially imposed in 2014 after Russia’s annexation of Crimea and expanded in 2022 following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, prohibit providing technical assistance to Russia and transferring technologies that could be used in weapons manufacturing.
The court handed down a slightly lighter sentence than the four years requested by prosecutors, reportedly citing a lack of evidence that Aksenov was financially compensated for his actions.
Aksenov denied any wrongdoing, telling the court he had retained the files for professional use.
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