Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for strong action against US tech companies still operating in the country, saying they should be “throttled” and “strangled,” according to a report by Reuters.
Putin’s remarks came after Russian business leaders raised concerns that some American companies, such as Microsoft and Zoom, continue to operate in Russia despite announcing their exit after the Ukraine invasion in 2022.
Although Microsoft said it had stopped selling new products in Russia, many local companies still rely on its software. Experts believe this is due to a lack of reliable Russian-made alternatives.
Push for Local Tech Solutions
Since the start of the Ukraine conflict, Western sanctions have forced Russia to search for domestic replacements for a wide range of products, from airplane parts to office software.
Some foreign companies left Russia but allowed their infrastructure to remain. For instance, McDonald’s left the country, and its locations were quickly taken over by a new Russian brand called “Vkusno i Tochka,” which introduced similar menu items like the “Big Hit,” a replacement for the Big Mac.
Now, Putin wants Russian businesses to fully transition to homegrown software instead of relying on products from companies like Microsoft and Zoom.
Local Software Gains Support
Russian tech firms have already begun developing alternatives. Cybersecurity company Kaspersky Lab has taken a majority stake in МойОфис (MyOffice), a local office software suite. This move aims to improve integration with Kaspersky’s own operating system, KasperskyOS.
Before the war, Western software dominated the Russian market. While Russia had already started moving away from foreign technology in the last decade, the war and sanctions have accelerated this shift. It remains uncertain how well local software will perform, especially on Russia’s many Linux-based systems.
