Information technology in Russia

The information technology sector in Russia employed around 300,000 people in 2012, and contributed 1.2% of the country's GDP in 2015. The sector is concentrated in the cities of Moscow and Saint Petersburg.

History

The Russian IT sector drew comparatively little from Soviet-era institutions. Russian IT companies were started in the early 1990s by founders with an academic background seeking to find a place in the new market economy. Piracy was widespread in the country, with an estimated 90% of all software in Russia being pirated in 1997.

In the 1990s, companies such as Vist began assembling computers out of foreign-made components, targeting small businesses and families who could not afford foreign brands like IBM and Compaq. DVM Computer gained some traction in the laptop market with its RoverBook brand. The Russian Computer Association (Российская компьютерная ассоциация) was the trade association representing the sector. In 1997 Yandex was established in Moscow.

In 1999 MCST developed the Elbrus 2000 processor, which was initially hyped as an Itanium killer, but the project was hampered by a chronic lack of funding.

Over time, Russian companies moved to software development, an activity which enjoyed higher margins. Local companies cater to the specific needs of the Russian market, such as ERP software developed by 1C Company with a focus on Russian accounting rules. Kaspersky Labs is described as the flagship company of the Russian IT industry. Exports of software and IT services from Russia reached $7 billion in 2015, up from $2.8 billion in 2009.

In 2012 MCST launched the NT-ElbrusS, a rugged laptop for military applications.

After the start of the War in Donbas and the Russian annexation of Crimea, the Ukrainian government banned a number of Russian IT companies from conducting business in the country.

In June 2015 the Russian parliament passed a law to establish a preference system for software developed in Russia.

Worsening relations between the United States and Russia have led some to advocate a purge of Russian software.

Largest Internet companies List of the largest internet companies based in Russia in 2025, according to the analytical agency Smart Ranking. +RankNameSubsidiariesEstablishedHeadquarters1YandexKinopoisk1997Moscow2T-Bank2006Moscow3Wildberries2004Moscow4Ozon1998Moscow5Rostelecom1993Moscow6Sber2GIS1991Moscow7MTS1993Moscow8Avito2007Moscow9T1 IT1992Moscow10VK1998Moscow11ICS HoldingBureau 14402018Moscow12Isource2019Moscow13Softline1993Moscow14Lamoda2011Moscow15ER-Telecom2001Perm161C Company1991Moscow17Rosatom2007Moscow18Kaspersky Lab1997Moscow19Telematika2015Moscow20Rubytech2020Moscow21Sitronics1997Moscow22SKB Kontur1988Yekaterinburg23HeadHunter2000Moscow24Jet Infosystems1991Moscow25League of Digital Economy2007Moscow

Information technology in Russia

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