Reuters-US restricts trade with 42 Chinese entities over Russia military support

The U.S. Commerce Department on Friday added 42 Chinese companies to a government export control list over support for Moscow's military and defense industrial base, including supplying the Russian sector U.S.-origin integrated circuits.

Another seven entities from Finland, Germany, India, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom were also added to the trade export control list.

The circuits include microelectronics that Russia uses for precision guidance systems in missiles and drones launched against civilian targets in Ukraine, the Commerce Department said in a statement.

"Today’s additions to the Entity List provide a clear message: if you supply the Russian defense sector with U.S.-origin technology, we will find out, and we will take action," Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew Axelrod said in the statement.

The U.S. action comes as the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues into its second year, including a Russian missile strike in a village in northeastern Ukraine on Thursday that killed at least 52 people in one of the most deadly attacks during 20 months of fighting.

Companies are added the U.S. Entity List when Washington deems them a threat to U.S. national security or foreign policy. Suppliers must then be granted generally hard-to-get licenses before shipping goods to entities on the list.

The Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.