Russian lawmaker Andrei Svintsov advised citizens on August 17 to switch to domestic platforms after Russian applications were removed from Apple's App Store and Google Play.
Speaking to news outlet Lenta.ru, the deputy chairman of the State Duma committee on information policy acknowledged that the removals create mass inconvenience, but maintained that the problems are temporary.
Svintsov recommended that users transition to alternative application marketplaces, including Russia's domestic RuStore platform or services developed in friendly nations. He noted that many Russian companies have already developed methods to overcome digital store restrictions.
The State Duma is the lower house of Russia's parliament, where committee leaders frequently address national digital strategy and technology regulation. Domestic platforms like RuStore were launched to provide Android users in Russia with continued access to essential services and banking software.
Domestic alternatives and bank access
Describing his own experience, Svintsov said that when his mobile banking application stopped functioning, he visited a local bank branch within an hour. Bank staff restored his access by downloading the application directly onto his phone without using an official app store.
The lawmaker asserted that Russia will gradually achieve full import substitution across all required technology sectors. He stated that domestic replacements would eventually encompass mobile operating systems, internet browsers, consumer electronics, and household appliances.
According to Svintsov, the current digital discomfort facing Russian consumers will disappear entirely within two to four years as local alternatives mature.
Legal action and long term competition
Addressing potential regulatory responses, Svintsov noted that Russian oversight agencies could pursue legal action against foreign technology providers. He said that if Google or Apple violated Russian law, Roskomnadzor or the Ministry of Digital Development could file lawsuits in domestic courts.
Roskomnadzor serves as Russia's federal media and telecommunications watchdog, while the Ministry of Digital Development oversees the country's national technology policy and digital infrastructure.
Svintsov explained that monetary fines and legal demands against Western technology companies would continue to accumulate until those corporations chose to return to the Russian market, at which point they would be required to pay the outstanding amounts.
However, the parliamentarian emphasized that collecting fines is not the main goal of government policy. Instead, he stated that the primary objective is to replace all Western digital solutions with domestic hardware and software.
Svintsov predicted that Russia and Western nations will remain technological competitors rather than friends for the next 50 to 100 years, making the rapid adoption of Russian-made technology essential.
Platform removals and company responses
The advice from parliament comes amid ongoing removals of major Russian commercial services from global application marketplaces. E-commerce operator Ozon recently responded after Google Play removed its primary shopping application alongside Ozon Fresh and Ozon Travel.
Ozon is one of Russia's largest online retail platforms, offering consumer goods, grocery delivery, and travel booking services. In a statement released by its press service, Ozon insisted that its applications had not violated any of Google Play's store rules regarding app distribution.
Despite their removal from Google's Android marketplace, Ozon confirmed that its mobile applications remained available for download on Apple's App Store at the time of the announcement.
