Printed circuit board substrates made by the American corporation Rogers continue to reach Russia, where they are used in the production of military radars and jammers. The Insider and Nordsint have established that the products are being supplied through Chinese intermediaries.
Rogers is an acknowledged world leader among PCB substrate manufacturers. Its materials, known as laminates, are virtually irreplaceable for high-power microwave and millimeter-wave electronics — which are critical for the radars of air defense systems. In conventional drones, Rogers laminate is also considered the preferred material for the communications module. A sheet of high-quality Rogers laminate measuring 30×45 cm can cost up to $1,300. AGC and Isola, two other companies producing comparable products, have been largely absent from the Russian market in recent years, according to customs data.
In 2023, Russians involved in sourcing such products were complaining that Rogers materials had become difficult to obtain in the country. Some companies stopped taking orders for Rogers-based boards due to a shortage of laminates in stock. Engineers were forced to use Chinese alternatives, sometimes of inferior quality.
Rogers laminates have been imported into Russia by EleсTrade-M. Before Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, Rogers laminates were also ordered directly from the manufacturer by the official distributor, Adelantest LLC. Adelantest’s customs transactions involving Rogers laminates are no longer visible, yet the company still actively advertises these products, offering them to order (delivery time: three to five weeks). Furthermore, the Adelantest website contains recent 2025—2026 announcements about trade shows attended by Rogers Corporation managers. This suggests that the break between Rogers products and Russia is far from complete. At the very least, Adelantest receives full and timely information about Rogers’ new products and the company’s participation in industry trade shows.
On the Chinese side, the list of recent sellers has included several intermediary firms or small laminate manufacturers: Shenzhen Viafine-Tech, Your Source International, and Jinan Hope Wish Photoelectronic Technology. In Russia, EleсTrade-M carries a wide range of Rogers products in its catalog. Other Russian retailers’ catalogs also list Rogers products. Additionally, the sellers’ websites feature recommendations for Rogers substitutes.
In January, Republican congressman Joe Wilson sent a letter to Rogers management expressing concern about the use of the company’s products in Russian S-400 and S-500 surface-to-air missile systems, as well as in the radar systems of Su-family fighter jets. According to the congressman, Rogers products are being obtained by enterprises of the Russian defense corporation Almaz-Antey. Wilson called on Rogers to prohibit its subsidiaries and distributors worldwide from supplying the company’s products to Russia.
If the Rogers Corporation is able to better monitor its product supply chain, Russian radar manufacturers will be forced to switch to lower-quality Chinese alternatives. The Insider has sent an editorial inquiry to Rogers.
Update: In a reply to The Insider, Rogers said it was fully compliant with international sanctions and does not supply products to Russia.
After The Insider’s article was published, representatives of Rogers contacted the editorial office and said the company complies with all U.S., EU, and UN sanctions and export controls.
The statement also said:
- Rogers screens end users of its products when working with importers in countries at higher risk of violations, including China. Customers in those countries are required to complete a special document specifying the intended use of the products and, where possible, identifying participants in the downstream resale chain.
- The company severed all ties with Electrade-M and Adelantest in 2022 after U.S. sanctions were imposed and has had no commercial relationship with them since. Rogers does not supply its products to Russia.
- Rogers carried out a review and found no active business relationship with China’s Shenzhen Viafine-Tech, Your Source International, or Jinan Hope Wish Photoelectronic Technology. The U.S. company stressed that it “is not aware of any channels through which any Rogers products they advertise or offer for sale may have been obtained.”
- Rogers reviews websites and catalogs for its products being sold in violation of its rules and may request the removal or correction of inaccurate information.
Full text of Rogers’ statement
As outlined below, the Company maintains robust controls and compliance processes to prevent the misuse or diversion of its products.
Rogers is fully committed to conducting business in strict compliance with all applicable trade regulations and restrictions, including U.S., European Union, and United Nations export controls and sanctions. The Company has a comprehensive global trade compliance program in place to ensure adherence to the U.S. Export Administration Regulations (EAR), International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) regulations, and all other applicable export control and sanctions regimes.
As part of our Export Compliance Management Program, Rogers conducts end-use and end-user screening for customers in higher-risk countries, including China. Customers in such countries are required to complete Rogers' End User Statement, which documents the intended use of our products and, where applicable, identifies downstream resale parties. In addition, Rogers utilizes third-party services to screen customers and end users against applicable government sanctions and restricted-party lists.
Rogers does not sell products into Russia or any other countries prohibited under applicable export control or sanctions regulations. Further, Rogers does not authorize, permit, or condone any use of its products that is inconsistent with U.S. or other applicable sanctions or export control regulations.
It is important to clarify that, while Electrade-M Inc. and Adenlantest LLC previously served as distributors of Rogers products in Russia, Rogers terminated both commercial relationships in 2022 following the implementation of U.S. sanctions and has had no further commercial relationship with either entity since that time. Rogers does not conduct business with or supply products to any Russian military or defense-related entities or otherwise sell products into Russia.
With respect to the other third parties referenced in the article, Rogers is reviewing the claims and representations described in the report, including statements regarding the availability, distribution, marketing, or sale of Rogers products. Rogers has not authorized sales of its products into Russia and is evaluating the nature of any alleged relationships, supply channels, or product offerings referenced in the article. Based on its review to date, Rogers has not identified any current authorized commercial relationships with Shenzhen Viafine-Tech, Your Source International, or Jinan Hope Wish Photoelectronic Technology and is not aware of any channels through which any Rogers products they advertise or offer for sale may have been obtained.
Rogers is also reviewing websites, catalogs, and other public-facing materials that may inaccurately suggest a current commercial relationship with Rogers or authorization to sell Rogers products. Where appropriate, Rogers may seek correction or removal of inaccurate, misleading, or outdated information.
Rogers takes allegations of product diversion seriously and will continue to investigate credible information regarding potential unauthorized distribution channels or inaccurate representations concerning its products.
Rogers remains steadfast in its commitment to full legal compliance and to preventing the unauthorized use or diversion of its products. Rogers continually reviews and enhances our compliance processes to ensure they remain effective and responsive to evolving regulatory and geopolitical risks.
Special circuit boards for military applications
The circuit boards in ordinary consumer electronics are soldered on inexpensive materials such as textolite. Microwave-frequency equipment, such as radars and electronic warfare systems, especially those operating at high power levels, require a special type of board substrate on which the components are mounted. Such a material must have a low dielectric loss factor, high stability of its dielectric parameters (in particular, the dielectric constant must not vary from batch to batch), good thermal conductivity, and mechanical strength. A phased array antenna, for example — a device that controls the direction of a radar beam by managing the phase of individual antennas — can only be assembled on the basis of such a material.
