Supplied Sanctioned Electronics to Russia’s FSB and Defense Ministry: Tsifron CEO Sent to Pretrial Detention in Moscow

A Moscow court has placed Igor Vinyukov, founder and CEO of Tsifron, one of the largest suppliers of sanctioned microchips and electronic components to the Russian market, in pretrial detention.

The Russian outlets Kommersant and Repost reported the detention.

The company’s CEO was placed in pretrial detention on charges of tax evasion on an especially large scale. According to investigators, the company’s tax debt had reached 148.5 million rubles ($1.85 million) as of July 1, 2026.

Separately from the criminal case, the Federal Tax Service filed a civil lawsuit against Vinyukov. An arbitration court granted the tax authorities’ claims, prohibiting the director from entering into transactions and freezing more than 121.9 million rubles ($1.52 million) in his personal funds.

Tsifron specializes in wholesale supplies of foreign electronics to Russia, including products imported to evade international sanctions. Its product range included scarce microchips, programmable logic integrated circuits, microelectromechanical systems and frequency filters from U.S., European and Asian manufacturers.

The company was a key contractor for entities in Russia’s government, security and military sectors. As channels for gray imports were gradually closed and sanctions restrictions tightened, the company began to miss large numbers of deliveries to customers.

The company’s financial statements showed a sharp decline in profitability: while its net profit exceeded 38.4 million rubles ($480,000) in 2022, it fell to 3 million rubles ($37,500) by 2024, while in 2025 Tsifron reported virtually no net profit.

Among the customers that filed lawsuits over undelivered products was the Aquarius group of companies, a major manufacturer of computing equipment for Russian government institutions, the Central Bank and Rostelecom.

Aquarius is seeking to recover more than 2 million rubles ($25,000) as unjust enrichment from the supplier, as well as nearly 347,000 rubles ($4,300) in penalties for undelivered batches of electronic components.

Another lawsuit over missed delivery deadlines was filed by the state-owned NPP Gamma for 314,400 rubles ($3,900).
NPP Gamma is a leading developer in cybersecurity and technical protection of state secrets in Russia. It conducts specialized research and manufactures radio equipment for the Russian Federal Security Service, Interior Ministry and Defense Ministry.

Tsifron’s total debt to customers over undelivered components now amounts to hundreds of millions of rubles, while transactions through its bank accounts have been blocked.