Russia facing Huge Shortage of PCs & IT Equipments - Full Report
According to reports, Russia is facing a shortage of PCs and IT equipment. The lack of foreign suppliers is causing a decline in domestic sales. The biggest decrease in sales came from US suppliers, which have closed their Russian offices. Russians are trying to stretch the lives of their older PCs by purchasing newer ones only when they become unusable. The most popular items on the market include hard disks, video cards, RAM, and computer chassis.
Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has appealed to IT professionals to stay in the country. He has offered them preferential mortgages and deferred military service, and promised to provide them with a decent living. It seems to be working, as more than eighty percent of the IT professionals who escaped the country after Feb. 24 returned to the country.
Russia's government is considering compulsory licensing for computer software and databases. This proposal comes amid a series of policies the government has proposed to stabilize the economy. But it does not address the fundamental problem. It is not clear how much funding will be needed to combat the shortage. In addition to this, many of the country's largest outlets have shut down in recent months. Vendors and experts blame the closures on logistics and lack of imports. But they also believe that the situation can be corrected if the government allows parallel imports.
Besides computers, Russian firms have been acquiring key parts of the hardware and software needed by the military. These items include microchips, which are manufactured in the United States. These components are primarily made by American firms, such as Intel and Cypress. The shortage is affecting many sectors, including the defense and aviation industries.
These new trade restrictions have already slowed the supply of computer chips and components. While they do not directly cause the shortage, the situation has led to higher prices. Some companies are now selling computers for four or five times more than they used to. This has made the supply chain for semiconductors and PC graphics cards extremely fragile. If the sanctions continue, price hikes in consumer electronics will almost certainly follow.
The EU has already placed some companies on its list of sanctions that could jeopardize the supply of U.S. chips and software to Russia. It has also banned some European companies from exporting their products to Russia. This could seriously limit the availability of PCs and software in the country.
These sanctions are designed to curb Russian access to cutting edge technologies and weaken Putin's ability to project power in the world. Analysts differ on how the restrictions will affect access to technology in Russia. Some believe that they will negatively impact the Russian economy for several years. Others argue that the country's demand for computers and information technology equipment is so low that it will only affect a fraction of the country's economic output.
Russia's leading PC manufacturers, such as DNS/DEXP and Depo, are still heavily dependent on foreign components and manufacturers. These companies are largely dependent on foreign technology and architecture. In recent months, this has meant that local consumers have been saving money. However, the sanctions have made the situation worse by cutting off these foreign suppliers.
As the war in Ukraine continues, the narrative of technological sovereignty has become prominent in Russian public discourse. Officials have repeatedly stressed that Russia should not be dependent on foreign technologies. They have also highlighted the importance of developing their own technologies and products.