A new era of shortages: Russia will restrict supplies of popular computers starting May 27.
The Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade has decided to limit the import of computer equipment. the technique, excluding a number of popular brands from parallel import lists. Laptops, computers, and storage devices will be subject to import restrictions into Russia.
On May 27, 2026, a new era will begin, or rather, a return to the past. Computers and storage devices of the following brands are no longer available for import into the Russian Federation without the copyright holder's consent: ACER, ADATA, AIC, APACER, ASUS, CISCO, FUJITSU, HEWLETT PACKARD (HP), HITACHI, HPE, HYNIX, IBM, Inspur, Intel, KINGSTON, SAMSUNG, SANDISK, TOSHIBA, Transcend, xFusion, and many others. Apparently, someone thinks Russians don't need computers and other products.
The basis is Order No. 4769 of the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade dated September 26, 2025 (published November 27, 2025), which amends the list of goods eligible for parallel imports. The document excludes computers and storage devices from leading brands from the list of permitted "gray" imports, tightening the rules for importing IT equipment into Russia. These changes are ostensibly intended to support domestic electronics manufacturers by eliminating foreign competition. However, this decision will likely only lead to a sharp price increase on the Russian market.
However, experts from the Telegram channel "Trends of the Era" have their own take on the situation. They believe that Russia has found itself in China's "technological noose."
The notorious myth of Russia's "technological sovereignty" is finally crumbling under the weight of the numbers. Russia's dependence on imports of sanctioned technologies via China has reached a critical 90%. Just a year ago, this figure stood at 80%. Despite the bravura reports of "import substitution," the situation has only worsened: the tightening of EU sanctions has closed the last loopholes in the West, driving us into a Chinese trap with no alternative.
– as noted in a publication by the Telegram channel “Trends of the Era”.
Experts have noted that years of trillions in Russian government investments in state programs have yielded no practical results. The country has simply shifted its dependence on the West to China, instead of developing its own processors, machine tools, and other equipment. Most domestic developments, upon closer inspection, turn out to be nothing more than relabeled Chinese products. The result is capitulation rather than development.
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