American tech giants Texas Instruments, AMD, and Intel face explosive allegations that their microchips ended up powering Russian missiles and Iranian drones that killed Ukrainian civilians, including children as young as three. Five lawsuits filed Wednesday in Dallas County claim the companies failed to prevent their advanced technology from being diverted through global supply chains into weapons used against innocent people.
The legal action, spearheaded by Watts Law Firm LLP and BakerHostetler LLP, alleges these companies continued selling microprocessors through channels they knew were vulnerable to misuse, effectively circumventing U.S. export regulations that banned such technology from reaching Russia and Iran.
“These companies, by willfully ignoring the diversion of their products by Russia and Iran, have opted to prioritize profit over their obligation to take reasonable and legally mandated actions to prevent their products from reaching the wrong recipients,” the lawsuit claims.
Evidence From the Battlefield
What makes these allegations particularly damning? Attorney Mikal Watts says his team collected physical evidence directly from Ukraine, examining the remnants of weapons that killed civilians.
“We took photographs, we collected evidence, we took video, and the bottom line is each drone comes with the equivalent of a black box that survives the impact,” Watts explained. “When you go in, you can see the chip technology, you can see names of companies from Dallas, Texas.”
The lawsuits represent three Ukrainian women whose children and grandchild were killed in Russian attacks. According to court documents, the microchips were found in Russian Iskander ballistic missiles, Kh-101 cruise missiles, and Iranian-made Shahed drones that struck apartment buildings and even playgrounds.
“The illicit flood of semiconductors into Russia is enabled by the knowing neglect or willful ignorance of American companies. It borders on intentional disregard,” one suit states.
Years of Warnings Ignored
The plaintiffs argue these companies had ample warning about the problem. “For years, federal agencies, journalists, and international watchdogs documented how these components were being routed into foreign weapons programs,” according to a statement from Watts Law Firm released with the filing. “The companies continued selling microprocessors and related components through channels they knew were vulnerable to misuse.”
Despite strict U.S. sanctions against Russia following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the lawsuits allege Texas Instruments, AMD, Intel, and Mouser Electronics (another Texas-based company named in the suits) failed to implement adequate safeguards to prevent their technology from being diverted through third countries and ultimately into Russian and Iranian weapons systems.
The legal action was filed in Dallas County, where Texas Instruments is headquartered. While AMD and Intel are based elsewhere, the suits note they maintain significant operations in Texas.
Tragic Human Cost
Behind the legal language lies devastating human loss. One missile strike highlighted in the lawsuits killed 19 people and injured 74 others. The plaintiffs include mothers who lost children in attacks allegedly powered by American microchip technology.
The lawsuits seek unspecified damages and claim the companies violated their duty of care by allowing their products to reach sanctioned entities through known supply chain weaknesses. A press release from the law firms notes the technology was found in weapons striking civilian targets rather than military ones.
None of the defendant companies have publicly responded to the allegations as of this reporting. The case could potentially set precedent for how technology companies are held accountable for their products’ end use in conflicts around the world, especially when those products are subject to export controls designed to prevent exactly this scenario.
