Why is Russian IT in danger?

I’Internet Russian sees itself increasingly disconnected from the global network with many sites blocking access from the country or being blocked by the Kremlin. However, things could well get worse for the Internet users in Russia. Due to the sanctions imposed following the war in Ukrainesome network equipment is no longer available and cannot be replaced in the event of a breakdown.

According to the Russian newspaper Kommersant, the Commission for Communications and Computing (RSPP) predicts that operators’ supplies of equipment will be exhausted within six months. Telecoms are likely to face outages this summer. According to an RSPP document, due to the departure of Western vendors and the depreciation of the rubleprices have already increased by 40% and could increase by another 80%.

Support measures for the industry

Breakdowns in communication networks could also affect rail transport, as well as fuel and electricity infrastructure. The commission asked the Ministry of Digital Transformation for help for the sector by reducing the tariffs for the use of radio frequencies by 50%, to abolish the property tax and to exempt employees of the telecommunications industry from taxes.

The ministry refused the proposals, blaming the companies. However, the state has already granted measures to the telecom industry, including a reduction in taxes and the suspension of the Yarovaya law which obliges them to host all data client. The latter will free up to 15% of the operators’ storage capacity. In addition, the latter will no longer be bound by their commitment to cover 100% of the municipalities with the network. mobile LTE by 2024. To continue to operate existing networks, companies will have to pause all development projects. They may even have to cannibalize some equipment to reuse elsewhere.

A brain drain

However, hardware is not the only problem for telecoms, which also risks a shortage of qualified personnel. Russia is currently experiencing a real brain drain abroad. The document indicates that within six months, the industry risks losing up to 30% of specialists in the sector. According to the Russian Association for Electronic Communications (RAEC), between 50,000 and 70,000 IT professionals have already left the country, a figure that could reach 170,000 by the end of April.

In an attempt to deal with this, the government has already announced a reprieve from military service for all young people under the age of 27 who work in the sector. The companies concerned will have to draw up a list of their employees before 1^er may. This also concerns university students in around sixty specialties, including mathematics, cartography, roboticsaeronautics, shipyards or even nanotechnology. “ It is important not to lower the pace of development of the high-tech sector in our country despite the sanctions “said Prime Minister Mikhail Michoustin to justify the measure.