Aside from the pure copium in the titles, this is actually extremely impressive. I for one never saw this coming. Despite all the Western propaganda about how Russia is hopelessly behind in semiconductors it seems that they have managed to develop a world-class processor. Unfortunately, it appears that Baikal-S is fabbed by TSMC using 16nm process. Perhaps it might only be a matter of time before they will be made by SMIC using SMEE SSA800?
Russia Economy Thread
- Thread starter NiuBiDaRen
- Start date
Aside from the pure copium in the titles, this is actually extremely impressive. I for one never saw this coming. Despite all the Western propaganda about how Russia is hopelessly behind in semiconductors it seems that they have managed to develop a world-class processor. Unfortunately, it appears that Baikal-S is fabbed by TSMC using 16nm process. Perhaps it might only be a matter of time before they will be made by SMIC using SMEE SSA800?
The performance is as expected. But this was released way too late. It is a high end server processor made in 16nm available in 2023.
The industry is at 5nm right now. So that is like 3 nodes difference.
Also, unlike what the first article said, I doubt there will be any successor with Neoverse score. The UK put sanctions on Russia. They cannot license ARM core designs any more. I do not know what will happen with existing core licenses, but you can bet Baikal won't get any new ones.
Also, like you said, this was clearly made at TSMC before the sanctions. Which will not be available anymore.
The industry is at 5nm right now. So that is like 3 nodes difference.
Also, unlike what the first article said, I doubt there will be any successor with Neoverse score. The UK put sanctions on Russia. They cannot license ARM core designs any more. I do not know what will happen with existing core licenses, but you can bet Baikal won't get any new ones.
Also, like you said, this was clearly made at TSMC before the sanctions. Which will not be available anymore.
Think they'll be switching to RISC and SMIC anytime soon?
Those things were in semi to little funding situation. The current system is built around large state corporate and without it you have this half backed efforts.
but now Rosatom will be in full cycle development from EUV to processors. so it will take several years before we can see a true Russian CPU.
Russia already has several 100% Russian designed and manufactured CPUs. One example is Elbrus-2SM with Elbrus2K architecture. There are others. For example MIPS compatible CPUs from ELVEES Multicore. The problem is they are made with 90nm process or worse.
The Russian state funded a lot of projects to design chips for 28nm and a couple for 16nm and better. This was done indirectly. The Russian state gave preference to computers with Russian content in them and created contracts to deliver whole systems to the state in a long term basis. However those were fabbed abroad even if designed in whole or in part in Russia. There was the expectation by the industry of creating a 28nm fab in Russia this decade but that has not happened.
As for RISC-V, the Russian computer industry had been moving in that direction. There are companies which design and sell RISC-V core IP in Russia like CloudBEAR and Syntacore. Syntacore in particular was bought by Yadro. Yadro is a company which designs, assembles, and sells whole computers in Russia basically. These are typically assembled from imported components, but they are planning on making their own chip designs. Originally were planning to use OpenPOWER architecture but later moved to RISC-V with Syntacore acquisition.
The Russian state funded a lot of projects to design chips for 28nm and a couple for 16nm and better. This was done indirectly. The Russian state gave preference to computers with Russian content in them and created contracts to deliver whole systems to the state in a long term basis. However those were fabbed abroad even if designed in whole or in part in Russia. There was the expectation by the industry of creating a 28nm fab in Russia this decade but that has not happened.
As for RISC-V, the Russian computer industry had been moving in that direction. There are companies which design and sell RISC-V core IP in Russia like CloudBEAR and Syntacore. Syntacore in particular was bought by Yadro. Yadro is a company which designs, assembles, and sells whole computers in Russia basically. These are typically assembled from imported components, but they are planning on making their own chip designs. Originally were planning to use OpenPOWER architecture but later moved to RISC-V with Syntacore acquisition.
Last edited:
The elevated former Qatar minister to Chair of the board of Rosneft.
in some what related to above. Russia is creating largest tourist clusters from Sea of Japan to Kaliningrad. This will have atleast 44,000 rooms hotels. I am sure luxury villas will be additional. just because of demographic change. The flights from Arab world will increase considerably.
in some what related to above. Russia is creating largest tourist clusters from Sea of Japan to Kaliningrad. This will have atleast 44,000 rooms hotels. I am sure luxury villas will be additional. just because of demographic change. The flights from Arab world will increase considerably.
normally i dont post about GDP growth but these are way higher back to back numbers when significant population is involved in deep R&D and war effort.
largest Shipping firm in Russia is using UAE dirham. see how much influence Arabs have from Chairman of Board of Rosneft to largest shipping firm.
largest Shipping firm in Russia is using UAE dirham. see how much influence Arabs have from Chairman of Board of Rosneft to largest shipping firm.
Russia first EV from ground up order book. EV generally has long wheel base that not easy in tight space and even harder to have comfort much larger vehicle and ground clearance for Russian conditions. for business they claiming battery can deal with 60,000 miles per year.
Rosatom article about cathode materials currently in EVs but gave hint alternative technology at end.
Rosatom article about cathode materials currently in EVs but gave hint alternative technology at end.
Entrepreneurs had difficulty making payments through Chinese banks to Hong Kong and Singapore
Settlements are made with Alibaba Group through Hong Kong. Taiwanese firms also open accounts there, which are prohibited from having accounts in Chinese banks. Experts advise those who use Chinese banks for payments to other jurisdictions to play it safe and find other options
Russian companies that work with Chinese banks and conduct transactions in yuan have encountered difficulties. Our business listeners say that Chinese banks are blocking payments by Russians to organizations in Hong Kong and Singapore. Businessmen are at an impasse and hastily looking for new ways to pay off partners abroad.
Through Hong Kong, for example, there are settlements with Alibaba Group. Taiwanese firms also open accounts there. Says the CEO of a company that imports goods from Taiwan, Sergey:
“Taiwanese can't have Chinese bank accounts, so they have to open accounts with the Bank of Singapore, Bank of Hong Kong, which is where we're trying to pay. But the Chinese control payments in yuan. Now they do not pass these payments through any correspondent bank: neither through ICBC, nor through the Bank of Harbin, and even more so through the Bank of China. Dollars are now even harder to spend. We do not know how to continue paying counterparties for the goods.
Russian small and medium-sized businesses have recently increasingly used the yuan as a way to pay off foreign partners. Including from the so-called unfriendly countries. But about a month ago, Bank of China transfers to Europe and the US for Russian clients. It is noteworthy that this coincided with a visit to Beijing by US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken. It is not known if there will be new restrictions. But, as we see, transactions for Russians are blocked not only in the Bank of China.
So far, transfers from Russia to China in yuan are working, says Kirill Latinsky, commercial executive director of Transasia Logistics. Those who use Chinese banks to make payments to other jurisdictions are better off playing it safe, he says:
Cyril Latin
commercial executive director of Transasia Logistics
“As a rule, those companies that are professionally engaged in the market offer such services and do not have such problems. Because they have at their disposal several channels for transferring funds to third countries. When a company is on the same channel, it can be blocked at any time, hindered, and so on.”
Payments to China in dollars or euros can “hang”, and then after some time just return. Because such transactions go through the regulatory authorities of the United States and, accordingly, the European Union, experts explain.
In the case of our listener, Sergei, who works with Taiwan, several factors could come into play: the tense relations between Taipei and Beijing and the businessman's Russian citizenship. What payment methods are left? Economic observer Vyacheslav Abramov lists:
Vyacheslav Abramov
economic observer
“Find another country where you can try to pay. It can be Türkiye, UAE, Armenia, Georgia and so on. If the problem here is that this is an investor of Russian origin and he has all the documents made for a foreign Russian passport, then try to change or get yourself a second passport - a friendly foreign state. If this is not the problem, then find a bank that can process the payment. There are not many options left in Russia. In any case, a foreign jurisdiction should be friendly to us. The third option is payments in cryptocurrency.”
The methods are not the easiest. When using cryptocurrencies, there may be problems with reporting and taxes. Obtaining citizenship is not a quick or very costly business. There are fewer and fewer banks that consistently conduct foreign exchange transactions from Russia, and they, like Raiffeisen , set commissions and limits that are protective for small businesses. There are settlements through conditionally friendly countries. Looks like outside of China. In theory, lira and dirhams can come to the rescue.
Settlements are made with Alibaba Group through Hong Kong. Taiwanese firms also open accounts there, which are prohibited from having accounts in Chinese banks. Experts advise those who use Chinese banks for payments to other jurisdictions to play it safe and find other options
Russian companies that work with Chinese banks and conduct transactions in yuan have encountered difficulties. Our business listeners say that Chinese banks are blocking payments by Russians to organizations in Hong Kong and Singapore. Businessmen are at an impasse and hastily looking for new ways to pay off partners abroad.
Through Hong Kong, for example, there are settlements with Alibaba Group. Taiwanese firms also open accounts there. Says the CEO of a company that imports goods from Taiwan, Sergey:
“Taiwanese can't have Chinese bank accounts, so they have to open accounts with the Bank of Singapore, Bank of Hong Kong, which is where we're trying to pay. But the Chinese control payments in yuan. Now they do not pass these payments through any correspondent bank: neither through ICBC, nor through the Bank of Harbin, and even more so through the Bank of China. Dollars are now even harder to spend. We do not know how to continue paying counterparties for the goods.
Russian small and medium-sized businesses have recently increasingly used the yuan as a way to pay off foreign partners. Including from the so-called unfriendly countries. But about a month ago, Bank of China transfers to Europe and the US for Russian clients. It is noteworthy that this coincided with a visit to Beijing by US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken. It is not known if there will be new restrictions. But, as we see, transactions for Russians are blocked not only in the Bank of China.
So far, transfers from Russia to China in yuan are working, says Kirill Latinsky, commercial executive director of Transasia Logistics. Those who use Chinese banks to make payments to other jurisdictions are better off playing it safe, he says:
Cyril Latin
commercial executive director of Transasia Logistics
“As a rule, those companies that are professionally engaged in the market offer such services and do not have such problems. Because they have at their disposal several channels for transferring funds to third countries. When a company is on the same channel, it can be blocked at any time, hindered, and so on.”
Payments to China in dollars or euros can “hang”, and then after some time just return. Because such transactions go through the regulatory authorities of the United States and, accordingly, the European Union, experts explain.
In the case of our listener, Sergei, who works with Taiwan, several factors could come into play: the tense relations between Taipei and Beijing and the businessman's Russian citizenship. What payment methods are left? Economic observer Vyacheslav Abramov lists:
Vyacheslav Abramov
economic observer
“Find another country where you can try to pay. It can be Türkiye, UAE, Armenia, Georgia and so on. If the problem here is that this is an investor of Russian origin and he has all the documents made for a foreign Russian passport, then try to change or get yourself a second passport - a friendly foreign state. If this is not the problem, then find a bank that can process the payment. There are not many options left in Russia. In any case, a foreign jurisdiction should be friendly to us. The third option is payments in cryptocurrency.”
The methods are not the easiest. When using cryptocurrencies, there may be problems with reporting and taxes. Obtaining citizenship is not a quick or very costly business. There are fewer and fewer banks that consistently conduct foreign exchange transactions from Russia, and they, like Raiffeisen , set commissions and limits that are protective for small businesses. There are settlements through conditionally friendly countries. Looks like outside of China. In theory, lira and dirhams can come to the rescue.