How to Exploit Russia’s Addiction to Western Technology
After the Soviet Union collapsed, in 1991, Russia became almost entirely reliant on Western technologies. Western technology vendors—including Google, IBM, Microsoft, and Nokia—were initially eager to operate in the Russian market, which brought them billions of dollars in annual profits. For decades, these companies tried to remain neutral, ignoring Russia’s transformation into a militaristic dictatorship, in order to maintain their business. The Kremlin was happy to cooperate with Western vendors as long as they stayed out of politics and continued to reliably supply the required technologies.
But since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, in 2022, the landscape has shifted dramatically. “Business as usual” was no longer feasible, and under pressure from Western governments and public opinion, many Western vendors exited the Russian market. Left with few options, Moscow turned to its geopolitical ally, China, for technologies.
But Russia’s attempt to switch from Western to Chinese businesses revealed the impossibility of such
