Russian chipmaker Element is moving to Vietnam to "teach" microelectronics

The Russian Research Institute of Molecular Electronics, better known as NIIME, which lurks under the umbrella of the semiconductor giant Element, has signed an agreement to train microelectronics and nanoelectronics specialists in Hanoi. This grand academic coalition includes the Hanoi University of Science and Technology, the local Hanoi People’s Committee, and Vietnamese tech firms G-Group and National Security Technology. It seems local students will soon learn the ancient art of sourcing dual-use components from washing machines.

Under the deal, the university will act as the primary research sandbox, while G-Group is tasked with pulling financial resources into Vietnam's semiconductor sector. Meanwhile, National Security Technology plans to handle cybersecurity, and the general director of NIIME, Alexander Kravtsov, has already hinted at developing joint commercial products. The entire operation is wrapped in the cozy blanket of a "long-term strategic partnership" which was personally blessed by Vladimir Putin during his summer summit.

This is not the company’s first attempt to find friends in warmer climates, as domestic markets grow increasingly isolated. Back in July 2025, Element established six subsidiaries in Asia—two in Taiwan and four in China—specifically to package microchips for the Chinese domestic market. To keep the momentum going, another subsidiary named Nanotronika was registered in Bangalore, India, in July 2026, aiming to push Russian hardware onto the Indian market.

Watching a country cut off from global lithography equipment trying to teach sovereign chipmaking to Vietnam is a masterclass in sheer geopolitical optimism. One can only wonder how long it takes before Hanoi realizes that the promised tech transfer might mostly consist of PowerPoint presentations and nostalgia for Soviet industrial glory.