Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo stopped selling consoles and peripherals to Russia in March 2022, following the invasion of Ukraine. But where there is demand, supply always finds its way: it is possible to obtain this equipment through backdoor routes, notably via China, Turkey or the United Arab Emirates. And it is not just about gaming: this equipment is diverted from its primary use by the Russian military to pilot drones in Ukraine.
Russia uses gaming equipment to pilot drones
Kaja Kallas, the European Union's chief diplomat, announced that consoles, gamepads, flight simulator controllers, joysticks and any other peripherals capable of remotely piloting drones will be included in the new package of sanctions against Russia scheduled for February 24, to mark the 3rd anniversary of the aggression against Ukraine. However, the approval of all member states will be required.
Console manufacturers are not affected, since they have stopped selling their products in Russia. This sanction concerns European third-party sellers who export consoles to the country. However, this measure is not expected to change much in the reality on the ground. Russia has turned to China to buy consoles and peripherals for video games: $120 million in 2024 according to Trade Data Monitor, compared to $30 million in 2022.
“Drone controllers are essential for military drone operations and should definitely be banned,” explains Olena Bilousova, an expert on military goods at the Kyiv School of Economics. But this EU ban will not have a significant impact, "because most [Russian military] use control systems made in China and sold online in Russia," she told the Financial Times.
This inclusion of games consoles on the European list of products banned from sale in Russia therefore remains largely symbolic. This does not prevent the work on the "sovereign console" from continuing, as Vladimir Putin has demanded.
Source: Financial Times
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