Russian President Vladimir Putin bans foreign software purchases for its critical infrastructure
The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine brought out an immersible loss of financial freedom, communication, and import-export ruling, which was achieved throughout the years.
With sanctions pushing hard on the Russian economy, Ruble hit its all-time low and is still recovering. The response was a massive one from Russian President Vladimir Putin as he banned the use of foreign software for its critical infrastructure.
Public agencies are ordered to stop using overseas software products from 2025. According to major news outlets, parallel imports were also approved, along with the app purchase ban.
The US and the UK remain two of the largest providers of software-related services, along with cloud, managed services, networking infrastructure and many more. We do not know how Russia will start implementing its products quickly and get back to the game.
The Western software ban for critical infrastructure by 2025 puts the nation at a national risk. According to The Register, Putin signed Order No. 166 [PDF]. The order is titled "On measures to ensure the technological independence and security of the critical information infrastructure of the Russian Federation."
On 30th March 2022, Wednesday, President Putin signed the document. The document is already in effect on 31st March 2022. From 1st January 2025, the decree also bans state institutions from using foreign applications or software in the critical infrastructure sector.
The ban is not limited to software but also code shipping with pieces of equipment will also fall under the same measures. Organisations and buyers must seek approval before buying software or software implemented products from overseas. Russia's public agencies and customers should prohibit themselves from using foreign software, application, scripts, or codes from 2025.
The form also asks the Russian government to form groups focusing on developing home brewed software products and maintaining them for hardware and critical infrastructure projects. The government of Russia is given a six moths timeline to adapt to the measure. In the meantime, domestic radio and telecommunication equipment that supports critical infrastructure will be handled accordingly.
The order was followed by several Western tech companies, such as Microsoft halted sales in Russia, Amazon stopped their cloud services, and other tech giants did their part to make the sanction against Russia successful.
The Russia Ukraine conflict is growing out of bounds and raising fuel prices in Europe at a higher margin. Europe is one of the largest customers for Russian oil and similar products, which are now stopped from being shipped. On the other hand, Russia is trying to sell the same product to India at a lower rate.
Foreign exchange is crucial for international bonding, import-export duties and keeping the financial boat afloat. A few foreign software is already scarce in Russia due to the sanction posed by the UK and the US. On 24th February, Russia started their invasion of Ukraine, where major Western firms suspended their services and followed international sanctions.
Even though it may look pretty simple, the sanctions have already affected the country's economy and livelihood. When the coronavirus started, many started seeking shelter in their homes and started working from there. The sanction prohibits them from working with foreign firms, and many became jobless.
Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin participated in a broadcast, saying that embracing grey market goods is to satisfy countries' demand as a replacement of brands that are not selling products to the country. It doesn't fall under the permission of the rights holder.
While we are not very clear on what it means, further notices will be covered on Tech News Hub. Reuters said the Russian Federal Antimonopoly Services rules drafted and promoted competition and lowered the prices of business import goods.
Medicine, movies, TV shows, designer brands, and games also fall under the prohibition, which is already pirated throughout the state. The Russian government has a soft feeling toward piracy of digital goods, and it seems like it will stay in a similar form for quite some time. In the meantime, the price of household goods and food items has gone way up.
