As of 1 July 2021, organisation selling certain electronic goods without preinstalled Russian software will be subject to financial penalties.
An amendment to the Administrative Offences Code (amending article 14.8) has been adopted to this effect. The penalties for organisations range from around EUR 450 to EUR 2000.
The list of products on which specific Russian software must be preinstalled before sale includes:
1. Wireless communication equipment for household use, personal electronic computers with a touch screen, having two or more functions, with pre-installed programs for electronic computers, having the ability to install such programs from application stores for operating systems, on the basis of which such equipment functions (smartphones, tablet computers).
2. Computers, stationary and portable (except for tablet computers), system units with an operating system.
3. Television sets with a digital control unit, which have the ability to install such programs from application stores for the operating systems on the basis of which such equipment functions.
The list of products that must have preinstalled Russian software and the rules for compiling and maintaining the register of such software were adopted by:
Decree No. 1867 of 18 November 2020; and