PlayStation and Xbox gaming consoles may be included in a new package of sanctions against Russia that the European Union is preparing for the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
According to the Financial Times, the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, explained that the Russian armed forces could use game consoles to control drones.
"We are looking at all types of things that help Russia wage this war to put them on the sanctions list. Even video game consoles, because that's probably what the Russians are using to control their drones," Kaja Kallas said.
The publication notes that Russia is forced to introduce various such "innovations" after Western sanctions restricted access to military and electronic parts: therefore, the aggressor country turns to suppliers from Turkey, the UAE and China for technology. The EU ban will target sellers who supply equipment, including used equipment, to Russia.
Back in March 2022, the three largest console manufacturers, American Microsoft and Japanese Nintendo and Sony, stopped selling in Russia. But China continues to be the main supplier of consoles to Russia, which in 2024 sold more than $120 million worth of consoles to Russia. According to the publication, this figure has increased dramatically compared to 2022, when China supplied $30 million worth of consoles to Russia.
"Remote controls for drones are essential for military operations using drones and should definitely be banned," said Olena Bilousova, an expert on military and dual-use goods at the Kyiv School of Economics. However, she noted that the European Union's ban may not work, "since most operators use Chinese-made controllers that are available on online platforms in Russia."
As we wrote earlier, in 2024, the U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security added four Chinese companies to its "export blacklist" for their involvement in the purchase of artificial intelligence chips for the Chinese army. These sanctions affected Intel and NVIDIA.
As a reminder, in 2023, despite the sanctions, Russia imported more than $1 billion worth of American and European-made chips.