Aldous Law has joined several respected law firms in filing lawsuits against Texas Instruments, AMD, Intel, and Mouser Electronics. The cases were brought on behalf of Ukrainian civilians who lost family members or were injured in missile and drone strikes that used U.S.-made semiconductor components. These suits aim to bring attention to technology that reached foreign weapons systems despite long-standing export restrictions and sanctions.
The lawsuits seek accountability for the presence of American technology in weapons used to target civilian neighborhoods, schools, evacuation sites, medical facilities, and other non-military locations. In doing so, the litigation aims to shine a light on the troubling gaps in global export-control systems that allow restricted technology to reach sanctioned countries.
This litigation was filed in partnership with the Watts Law Firm, BakerHostetler, attorney Jamie Shaw, and the Avellum law firm in Kyiv, Ukraine. Together, the combined legal teams are working to document how these components moved through global supply chains and ultimately ended up in weapons launched against Ukrainian civilians.
How U.S.-Made Semiconductor Components Reached Russian Weapons
The core focus of the lawsuits is the presence of American-made semiconductors, ranging from basic integrated circuits to sophisticated microprocessors, found inside Russian missiles and Iranian-manufactured Shahed drones. These weapons were recovered after attacks across multiple Ukrainian regions. Forensic analysis revealed components bearing U.S. manufacturer markings, catalog numbers, and production identifiers.
Although the companies involved did not sell directly to Russian or Iranian military manufacturers, the lawsuits allege that these components were nonetheless able to cross borders through complex webs of distributors, supply-chain intermediaries, shell companies, and foreign procurement networks. These diversion routes are not new. The U.S. government has long warned semiconductor manufacturers that restricted components routinely pass through third-country brokers before reaching sanctioned destinations.
U.S. export laws have prohibited the sale or transfer of controlled semiconductor technology to Russia, Iran, and parties connected to those nations for many years. The filings argue that, despite these rules, the defendants failed to maintain sufficient oversight of downstream distributors, allowing restricted parts to continue moving through channels vulnerable to diversion.
Claims Raised in the Lawsuits Against Intel, AMD, Texas Instruments, and Mouser
The manufacturers and distributors named in the filings did not implement adequate systems for detecting red flags associated with potential diversion. These red flags may include unusually large orders from small distributors, repeated purchases of parts with known military applications, or shipments routed through high-risk regions with histories of export-control violations.
According to the filings, the defendants either overlooked or insufficiently addressed such warning signs. As a result, restricted components were able to leave authorized distribution channels and reach entities tied to Russia’s defense sector.
It is important to note that the allegations do not claim that manufacturers intentionally supplied Russia or Iran with these components. Instead, the lawsuits argue that weaknesses in compliance protocols, insufficient vetting of distributors, and limited supply-chain monitoring created opportunities for foreign procurement networks to obtain the parts.
Ultimately, the filings assert that these oversight failures contributed to American-made technology ending up inside weapons that were knowingly deployed in civilian areas, causing deaths, physical injuries, psychological harm, and widespread community destruction.
Ukrainian Victims Named in the Chipmaker Lawsuits
The individuals represented in these lawsuits are civilians living in towns, cities, and rural regions that have been subjected to persistent missile and drone attacks. Normal, everyday Ukrainians who have long suffered under a continuous onslaught of violence. Many plaintiffs were injured in blasts that struck residential neighborhoods, transportation centers, shopping areas, power stations, and other non-military locations. Others lost spouses, children, or other close family members in attacks that Ukrainian officials and international organizations have described as indiscriminate or intentionally aimed at civilian infrastructure.
The plaintiffs’ injuries range from shrapnel wounds and traumatic brain injuries to burns, hearing loss, amputations, and long-term psychological trauma. Many have been displaced from their homes multiple times. Ukrainian families along border towns that were displaced at the onset of war would find themselves displaced again as the battle lines changed these past few years. This created a cycle of violence that for many has never ended, and at times beneath the shadow of weapons produced using American-made chips.Â
By filing suit, these families aim not only to seek compensation but also to demand accountability from companies whose technologies played a role in enabling the attacks. The litigation also highlights the human impact of global supply-chain vulnerabilities, drawing attention to how gaps in oversight can have life-and-death consequences far from the countries where the products were manufactured.
Why the Semiconductor Diversion Lawsuits Matter
These lawsuits carry significance beyond the individual cases. They raise questions about how modern global supply chains operate and how effectively technology companies safeguard their products from misuse. Semiconductor components, especially those used for navigation, guidance, communications, and power regulation, are essential to many advanced weapons systems. When such components reach hostile foreign militaries, the U.S. unwittingly becomes associated with the murder of innocents.
The cases seek to encourage:
- Stronger compliance programs within semiconductor and electronics companies
- Better monitoring of distributors and downstream purchasers
- Tighter enforcement of export-control red flags
- Greater transparency across international supply chains
For policymakers, the litigation may help identify gaps in existing regulations or enforcement mechanisms. For industry leaders, the cases serve as a reminder of the broader ethical responsibilities associated with manufacturing components that can be used in weapons systems.
Most importantly, for affected Ukrainian families, the litigation provides a meaningful opportunity to have their experiences acknowledged. It gives victims a voice in international conversations about the responsibilities of technology manufacturers in global conflicts.
Aldous Law’s Work in the Semiconductor Diversion Litigation
Aldous Law is proud to work with partner firms in bringing these lawsuits to court. Our role is to represent the interests of Ukrainian civilians, present the evidence, and support the families affected by these attacks.
Our team remains focused on uncovering the full picture of how these components moved through distribution channels and how oversight failures contributed to their diversion. As the litigation develops, we will continue to work closely with our partners in the United States and Kyiv. Learn more about the filing here.
