Online retailer Wildberries reported that it had fixed more than 90% of errors in the operation of its website and app. The company’s experts clarified that the remaining errors would be eliminated in soon.

 
 According to <a href="https://downdetector.ru/ne-rabotaet/wildberries/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Downdetector</a>, the number of errors in the operation of application and the site by the morning of March 16 decreased 16-fold compared to March 14. The company has conducted an internal investigation of the incident and will provide law enforcement agencies with the information from the investigation.

 
 Wildberries also <a href="https://rb.ru/news/wildberries-crash/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">noted </a>that “the IT infrastructure was not affected, frontend and backend are operating properly, and the personal and financial information, including card information, is kept safe”.

 
 The first failures were <a href="https://www.vedomosti.ru/technology/news/2022/03/14/913300-v-rabote-wildberries-proizoshel-globalnii-sboi" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">reported</a> on March 14. The most common complaints were related to the operation of the app and website, and some users had difficulties in tracking the order. At the end of the day, the specialists “eliminated 70% of errors”. The next day, “80% of errors on the website and in application” were fixed.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/wildberries-ustranil-bolee-90-oshibok-v-rabote-saita-i-prilozheniia/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

TASS

Wildberries Eliminated more than 90% ofErrors in its App and Site Operation after a Failure

The Ministry of Digital Development does not expect problems with the employment of IT specialists who worked in the foreign companies leaving the Russian market. The department’s experts believe that the demand for such employees among Russian companies is quite high.

 
 According to Deputy Minister of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media Maxim Parshin, the ministry will support the demand for Russian IT solutions and provide support for Russia’s leading developers.

 
 The president of InfoWatch Natalya Kasperskaya believes that a decrease in the shortage of IT personnel should be expected in Russia. According to her, “the shortage was caused by the fact that over the past three years we have had a very powerful digitalization […] jobs for highly-demanded specialists will be found […] therefore, I believe that it is wrong to expect an increase in the deficit of specialists”.

 
 Earlier, Vladimir Putin signed a <a href="http://publication.pravo.gov.ru/Document/View/0001202203020001" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">decree</a> on the new support measures for Russian IT companies.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/mintsifry-ne-ozhidaet-problem-s-trudoustroistvom-it-spetsialistov-na-fone-ukhoda-zarubezhnykh-kompanii-iz-rf/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Interfax

Ministry of Digital Development to Support IT Developers Against the Backdrop of Foreign Companies’ Exit from Russia

The Ministry of Digital Development of the Russian Federation has proposed setting a zero customs duty rate for importing computer equipment into Russia for six months. The list can include:

<ul>
 <li>data storage systems;</li>
 <li>hard drives (tape drives, SSD and HDD, non-volatile storage devices);</li>
 <li>electronic integrated circuits, including microprocessors;</li>
 <li>semiconductor devices (diodes, transistors, sensors, controllers).</li>
</ul>

 
 The measures are supposed to “help support Russian manufacturers of equipment until new supply chains and production within Russia are formed”. According to the source of Kommersant, in the government the idea did not cause apparent contradictions among the authorities: the proposal “can be approved before the end of March”.

 
 Specialists from the Federal Customs Service note that currently customs duty is charged on goods, including tape drives, SSD and HDD and non-volatile data storage devices. The duty rate is from 1% to 13% depending on the category of goods.

 
 According to IDC, in the fourth quarter of 2021, the size of the data storage systems market in Russia reached $211 million. This is 34.2% more compared to the same period in 2020.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/mintsifry-predlozhilo-na-polgoda-obnulit-stavku-vvoznoi-tamozhennoi-poshliny-na-vychislitelnuiu-tekhniku/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Kommersant

Ministry of Digital Development Proposes Cancelling Import Duties on Computer Equipment for 6 Months

Digital projects of the Moscow Government were shortlisted for the <a href="https://www.itu.int/net4/wsis/stocktaking/Prizes/2022" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">WSIS Prizes 2022</a>. The jury evaluated the projects according to several parameters, including the possibility of scaling.

<ul>
 <li>the digital ecosystem of Moscow (mos.ru);</li>
 <li>Declutter Service;</li>
 <li>EMIAS.INFO, a digital service allowing users to access their electronic medical record and make an appointment with a doctor;</li>
 <li>Smart Cities Moscow forum;</li>
 <li>virtual labs in the MES Library;</li>
 <li>interactive city online guide&nbsp;Discover Moscow.</li>
</ul>

 
 Out of 1,000 projects submitted to the competition, 360 were nominated for participation in the current stage of online voting.

<hr />
 
 Product cards

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/card/emias-info/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">EMIAS</a>, <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/card/biblioteka-mesh/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Moscow e-School Library</a>

<hr />
 
 The WSIS Prizes distinguishes projects that promote progress in the field of ICT.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/tsifrovye-proekty-pravitelstva-moskvy-vkliuchili-v-short-list-premii-wsis-prizes/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original</a><a href="https://ict.moscow/news/tsifrovye-proekty-pravitelstva-moskvy-vkliuchili-v-short-list-premii-wsis-prizes/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> (in R</a><a href="https://ict.moscow/news/tsifrovye-proekty-pravitelstva-moskvy-vkliuchili-v-short-list-premii-wsis-prizes/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">ussi</a><a href="https://ict.moscow/news/tsifrovye-proekty-pravitelstva-moskvy-vkliuchili-v-short-list-premii-wsis-prizes/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">an)</a>

Digital Projects of Moscow Government Shortlisted for WSIS Prizes

According to VK Group’s announcement, if the majority of holders of the company’s senior unsecured convertible bonds on the London Stock Exchange demand early redemption, there is a possibility that the issuer will not be able to fulfill its obligations. The company issued bonds worth $400 million at 1.625% maturing in 2025.

 
 “It is possible that the issuer will not have sufficient liquidity in the holding company to fund the payments required for the redemption if the majority of the bondholders choose to exercise their redemption right,” the company’s spokesperson said.

 
 The exchange has halted trading in global depositary receipts of VK Group on March 3, 2022. Under the terms of the issue, if trading in the company’s global depositary receipts is halted for ten or more trading days, bondholders will have the right to demand redemption from the company.

 
 According to VK Group, the company had about $190 million in cash and cash equivalents as of March 9, including $140 million in foreign currency ($80 million of which is held outside Russia).

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/vk-group-dopustil-tekhnicheskii-defolt-po-obligatsiiam-na-400-mln/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

VK Group Warns of a Possible Technical Default on Bonds Worth $400 million

Skolkovo expects an increase in the number of residents in the field of information security by 20% in the neat two years, with a 30% growth in their revenue.

 
 The exit of large foreign companies and the high demand for Russian information security solutions can become a driver for the development of the industry. This opinion was expressed the Skolkovo Foundation on the basis of the survey conducted as part of the Security Startup Welcome Day.

 
 Startups that planned to work with Western markets are ready to reorient towards the Russian and Asian markets. About 72% plan to develop business in Russia. They are also ready to attract investments from sanctioned companies.

 
 The majority (90%) of developers surveyed in the industry said they had faced a talent shortage problem. Another 56% mentioned a shortage of qualified personnel. At the same time, almost a third of companies mentioned the emergence of unemployed staff due to Western companies’ exit.

 
 According to the <a href="https://www.rbc.ru/technology_and_media/26/01/2022/61effbfe9a79479830c8c236" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">survey</a> conducted by HeadHunter, the number of vacancies for information security specialists increased by almost 50% in 2021. The total number of such vacancies reached 35,300.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/skolkovo-v-techenie-dvukh-let-planiruet-uvelichit-na-20-chislo-rezidentov-v-oblasti-kiberbezopasnosti/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Skolkovo

Skolkovo to Increase the Number of its Residents in the Field of Cybersecurity by 20% within 2 Years

The best startups of the Future Healthcare accelerator in the healthcare sector have been chosen in Moscow. In the future, after being finalized, the projects can be integrated into the healthcare system of the city.

 
 Top 5 projects of the accelerator:

<ul>
 <li>Medical Neuronets, an AI system created for pathologists to study images of tissue samples and search for correlation in data;</li>
 <li>Webiomed, an AI-based system that analyzes medical data, identifies risk factors and suspected diseases;</li>
 <li>Third Opinion, a platform for recognizing pathologies in medical images and improving the quality of monitoring the course of the disease based on AI;</li>
 <li>Tochka Zreniya (Point of View), an AI system for detecting polyps during an endoscopy;</li>
 <li>Zdorovie.ru, a platform that develops digital therapy for patients with chronic diseases.</li>
</ul>

<hr />
 
 Product cards

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/card/trete-mnenie/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Third Opinion</a>

<hr />
 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/ii-sistemy-medical-neuronets-trete-mnenie-webiomed-i-tochka-zreniia-voshli-v-piaterku-luchshikh-proektov-akseleratora-meditsinskikh-startapov-future-healthcare/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

AI-based Systems Medical Neuronets, Third Opinion, Webiomed and Tochka Zreniya Among Top 5 Projects of the Future Healthcare Medical Startup Accelerator

The Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Digital Developmen have launched the <a href="https://etpgpb.ru/portal/import-substitution/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Import Substitution Online Marketplace</a>. The service will allow customers to leave requests for the purchase of industrial products, and suppliers to offer analogues without additional approvals and intermediaries.

 
 The service was created on the basis of the State Information System of Industry and will be improved in the future. The service will include not only Russian, but also foreign suppliers who are ready to continue or start cooperation with Russian enterprises.

 
 Another support platform for business, <a href="https://%D0%BC%D1%81%D0%BF.%D1%80%D1%84/services/rfrit/promo-unauthorized/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">MSP</a>, has launched sales of over 112 Russian digital products at a 50% discount. 28 Russian developers have placed solutions for retail, hotel services, tourism, automotive and restaurant business, medicine, and other areas on the platform.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/v-rossii-sozdali-birzhu-importozameshcheniia-i-predlozhili-biznesu-skidku-na-po-v-50/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Russia Creates Import Substitution Online Marketplace, Gives a 50% Discount on Software to Russian Businesses 

Russian social networks Odnoklassniki, VK and Telegram have reported an increase in the number of new users and their activity. Since the beginning of March, the growth in user registrations on Odnoklassniki exceeded 66%. The recovery of old accounts increased by 36%, the number of users who began to actively manage and update their pages increased by 40%.

 
 Over the past two weeks, the number of daily users of VK <a href="https://vk.company/ru/press/releases/11109/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">has grown</a> by 300,000 people. During the same time, the number of video views increased by 40%, and the number of short vertical videos uploads in Clips doubled. On March 8, the social network recorded 1.75 billion video views and 600 million clip views per day.

 
 Telegram <a href="https://t.me/tg_analytics/304" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">has also seen</a> an increase in the number of new users lately. Since March 11, the number of subscriptions to Russian channels in the messenger has increased by more than 40 million. Before that, the influx of new users (almost 10 million people) was recorded every day from February 24 to 26.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/odnoklassniki-vk-i-telegram-soobshchili-o-roste-auditorii-i-ee-aktivnosti/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Odnoklassniki, VK and Telegram Report an Increase in the Number of Users and Their Activity

A test site for the testing of 5G and 6G technologies will be created in the Moscow region (Dolgoprudny).

 
 Dmitry Livanov, Rector of the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT), says that the pilot site will be deployed on the scientific campus, and after successful testing it will be deployed throughout the city. He also notes that it is necessary to ensure a high level of service and technological independence when creating communication networks.

 
 Earlier, it was <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/news/5g-test-site-launched-on-the-basis-of-botkin-hospital-in-moscow/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">reported</a> that the first 5G industrial test site in Russia was opened at the Botkin Hospital in Moscow. It was planned to test healthcare technologies and services on the territory.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/v-podmoskove-sozdadut-poligon-dlia-otrabotki-tekhnologii-5g-i-6g/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

RIAMO

New Test Site for 5G and 6G Technologies to be Created in Moscow Region

According to the data provided by Rostelecom-Solar, from March 1 to March 10 of 2022, more than 1,000 DDoS attacks were recorded and repelled in the business sector in Russia. This already exceeds the figures from February. Most often the attacks were targeted at banks, with over 450 attacks (4 times more than in February).

 
 The main goal of the attackers are still the resources of the authorities, over the past three days, about 1.7 thousand DDoS attacks have been made on one of the government portals. According to the head of Anti-DDoS and WAF at Rostelecom-Solar Egor Valov, “in the case of DDoS, it is not about hacking a particular portal, but only about its availability”.

 
 In general, attacks are carried out continuously - DDoS on one resource can last from 12 to 14 hours. For this reason, cybersecurity specialists have to change defense tactics according to attack vectors.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/rostelekom-solar-bolee-1-tys-ddos-atak-zafiksirovano-v-kommercheskom-segmente-v-rf-s-nachala-marta/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

CNews

Rostelecom-Solar: Over a Thousand DDoS Attacks on Business Recorded Since the Beginning of March

According to data.ai (App Annie), on March 7, Russian apps ЯRUS (YaRUS) and TenChat were included in the list of the most downloaded social networks on the iOS platform in Russia.

 
 On March 10, TenChat was ranked second in the social networks category, overtaking VKontakte and WhatsApp, while ЯRUS was ranked fifth. Telegram is the leader in terms of the number of downloads. In the overall ranking of apps, social networks were in 14 and 32 places, respectively.

 
 On March 3, ЯRUS app entered the top ten most downloaded social networks on the Android platform. A week later, it rose to the second place in the ranking, and was ranked 12th among all applications. TenChat was ranked 13th among social networks.

 
 Experts from AI Ti Servis (ЯRUS developer) specify that they are “developing services that can replace YouTube, Tik-Tok, Twitter and Instagram in one app”. At the moment, more than 2 million users are registered on the platform, and since February 25 the peak number of downloads per day has exceeded 120 thousand.

 
 TenChat’s spokesperson said the app had been originally positioned as an alternative to LinkedIn. Today, TenChat has more than 300,000 registered users. The company expects that the number of active users will increase to “several million” by the end of spring.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/otechestvennye-sotsseti-iarus-i-tenshat-popali-v-spisok-naibolee-skachivaemykh-prilozhenii-v-rossii/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Russian Social Media ЯRUS and TenСhat Among Most Downloaded Apps in Russia

Several Russian tech companies have announced personnel appointments.

 
 Andrey Cheglakov became CEO of New Cloud Technologies (the developer of MyOffice) on March 10. Since December 2016, he has been chairman of the board of directors. Cheglakov replaced the founder of the company, Dmitriy Komissarov, who will become product development director. At the same time, Komissarov will remain a member of the company’s board of directors. The company’s spokespersons noted that personnel changes were necessary “to expand the product portfolio and optimize operational processes”.

 
 At the National Center of Informatization (part of the United Instrument Manufacturing Corporation of state corporation Rostec), Alexey Agapov, who was the CEO of Upravleniye VOLS-VL (Rosseti Tsifra), was appointed to the position of General Director instead of Konstantin Solodukhin. Solodukhin will focus on civilian products as deputy general director of the United Instrument Manufacturing Corporation.

 
 Moreover, it was announced that Alexey Poddubny, the Vice President for technological development of the company, had been appointed acting Head of the Technology block of Sberbank.

 
 

<hr />
 
 Connect with

 
 <a href="https://www.facebook.com/alexey.poddubny.58" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Alexey Poddubny</a>, the Head of the Technologies Block of Sberbank

 
 <a href="https://www.facebook.com/dkomissarov" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Dmitry Komissarov</a>, the Director of Product Development and Development, New Cloud Technologies

<hr />
 
 Previously, this position was held by David Rafalovsky. Poddubny will be responsible for digitalization of the bank, creation of smart assistants of SberDevices, the SberCloud cloud provider, the development of the Christofari supercomputer, and the development of Platform V.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/novye-oblachnye-tekhnologii-i-natsionalnyi-tsentr-informatizatsii-izmenili-sostav-top-menedzherov/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Sberbank, New Cloud Technologies and Rostec’s National Center of Informatization Announce Personnel Appointments

According to the research conducted by Dsight, the size of the venture capital investment market in Moscow in 2021 grew to almost $1.8 billion. The figure has more than tripled compared to 2020.

 
 The number of deals exceeded 200. The increase was due to investments in more mature companies with an established business model and stable sales (rounds A, B, C). The most promising areas for investment in Moscow last year were business software, retail and HR & WorkTech.

 
 Investments in the Russian venture capital market last year amounted to $2.4 billion. The total number of transactions increased to 311 (compared to 279 a year earlier). Fintech, transport and logistics, HRTech, e-commerce, EdTech, MedTech became the most popular segments for investment.

<hr />
 
 Product cards

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/card/ivi-ru/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">ivi.ru</a>

<hr />
 
 According to analysts, the largest deal last year was estimated at $298 million. Investments were attracted by TradingView (a social network for traders). During the year, investors invested another $250 million in three companies: ivi online cinema, ClickHouse database management system, and Acronis (focuses on cybersecurity). Foreign and private Russian funds have become the main source of investments in the market. They accounted for almost 50% of all transactions.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/moskovskii-venchurnyi-rynok-za-god-vyros-bolee-chem-v-tri-raza/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Dsight

Dsight: Moscow VC Market Grows More than Threefold Over the Year

AI developers evaluate features and prospects of Google's AI architecture V-MoE 

ICT.Moscow

Google's New AI Architecture: Why Do Neural Networks Need Their Own "Experts"?

Avtomatika сoncern (part of Rostec), Kaskad and the Moscow Technical University of Communications and Informatics (MTUCY) will develop a line of secure cryptoprocessors for the Internet of things.

 
 MTUCI will develop software and integrate cryptographic algorithms, while Avtomatika will certify a family of cryptoprocessors, conduct case studies and sell products. Kaskad will develop the topology of the processors, test the products and perform the final configuration.

 
 Specialists also note that separate chips for encrypting information will protect data from unauthorized access.

 
 A cryptoprocessor is a separate system on a chip, “a computer within a computer”. It converts data in such a way that it can only be decrypted on the original computer, using the same software that was originally used.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/predpriiatie-rostekha-kaskad-i-mtusi-zaimutsia-sozdaniem-otechestvennykh-kriptoprotsessorov/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Rostec

Rostec’s Subsidery Avtomatika, Kaskad and MTUCI to Create Russian Cryptoprocessors

According to Marvel Distribution, during a week since the imposition of sanctions by Western countries, there has been an increase in demand for Russian software. The demand figures grew by 300% year on year.

 
 Companies express great interest in office applications, for example, R7-Office and MyOffice, Astra Linux, BaseAlt, Rosa, etc. In addition, a large amount of orders is made in the database management systems segment, where products from Postgres Professional account for about 80% of all Russian solutions. Virtualization solutions are also in demand. In Russia they are offered by the Masshtab Research Institute (part of Rostec).

 
 According to the CEO of Marvel Distribution Alexey Melnikov, there will be a significant increase in sales of the Russian operating systems in the near future. At the same time, the leaders "will maintain their positions, and new companies are unlikely to appear and be able to compete". According to various estimates, the first positions among Russian operating systems are occupied by Astra Linux (50-60%) and BaseAlt (20-30%).

 
 Growth in demand for both digital products and solutions is also observed in Kaspersky Lab. Experts from Kontur, which develops business software, believe that software prices will not grow, but they can change, for example, for tokens, fiscal memory devices and cash register equipment.

<hr />
 
 Product cards

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/card/mojofis/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">MyOffice</a>, <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/card/astra-linux/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Astra Linux</a>

<hr />
 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/v-rossii-zafiksirovali-rost-sprosa-na-otechestvennoe-po/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Marvel Distribution: Russia Sees Growth in Demand for Russian Software 

By the end of 2022, three new support centers of the National Cyber ​​Range will be opened in Russia as part of the Information Security project of the Digital Economy national program. The centers are used to test software products under development and train cybersecurity specialists.

 
 One of the centers was opened on March 3 in Samara at the Povolzhskiy State University of Telecommunications and Informatics. Two more centers will be opened this year in St. Petersburg and the Orenburg region at Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University and Orenburg State University. At the instruction of the Ministry of Digital Development, Rostelecom is creating the National Cyber ​​Range on the basis of its subsidiary Rostelecom-Solar.

 
 Rostelecom-Solar noted that the domestic information security market lacks approximately 20 thousand specialists. At the same time, the first university graduates who studied at the National Cyber Range, together with employees of the Rostelecom’s Cyber ​​Attack Counteraction Center, are already counteracting cyber threats.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/v-rossii-v-2022-godu-otkroiut-tri-novykh-opornykh-tsentra-natsionalnogo-kiberpoligona/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

ComNews

Three New Support Centers of the National Cyber Range to Open in Russia in 2022

Russian companies began to massively switch to Russian cloud services in the face of restrictions against Russia. Demand for Russian cloud services has grown several times.

 
 Linxdatacenter’s experts noted an increase in the number of applications from both existing and new customers. The company said that “there are many requests for the migration of data and IT systems from various foreign cloud platforms to Russia for the purpose of localization”.

 
 Experts from O2xygen say that the number of requests has tripled last week. VK Group’s specialists said that in recent days the demand for cloud solutions had increased, and the number of users of Cloud Mail.ru had grown by 20%. The company also forecasts an increase in demand for provider solutions developed on the basis of Open Source.

 
 MTS’s specialists said that from February 28 to March 4 the number of requests to move to their cloud had increased 10-fold compared to a usual week in February. MegaFon recorded a 5-fold increase in demand for its cloud services. Experts in Beeline saw a “multiple increases in demand” for connecting cybersecurity solutions and cloud services. Rostelecom’s experts claim that they do not see an increase in the number of requests.

 
 According to iKS-Consulting, in 2021 the size of the Russian cloud market was about 130 billion rubles, the IaaS segment accounts for $386.9 (46.6 billion rubles).

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/spros-na-rossiiskie-oblachnye-uslugi-iz-za-sanktsii-uvelichilsia-v-neskolko-raz/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Russian Companies Massively Switch to Russian Cloud Services

<a href="https://ir.yandex/press-releases?year=2022&id=03-03-2022" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Yandex</a> and <a href="https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0001822829/000119312522065190/d212488dex991.htm" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Ozon</a> have announced a possible default on eurobonds as a result of stock trading halt on the US stock exchange NASDAQ. The companies clarified that, according to the rules of the exchange, they are required to disclose all theoretically possible risks, even if they never occur.

 
 Yandex placed five-year convertible bonds in 2020. Bond payments in shares or cash. If the exchange does not trade Yandex shares for five days, then bondholders can ask to return their money “not in 2025, as planned, but earlier”. Currently, the amount that can be requested for repayment from Yandex is $1.25 billion. Yandex notes that this amount is more than is available in the company’s accounts.

 
 Ozon has a $750 million convertible note. Bondholders can request redemption after seven business days of no trading of the company’s shares on the stock exchange. At the end of February, Ozon had $1.35 billion (113 billion rubles) in its accounts, of which 80% were in foreign currency. Moreover, a large part of them is located in Russia. Considering the fact that the payments will be made by the Cypriot holding company of the group, there is a risk that it will not be possible to transfer funds from Russia abroad, both for technical reasons and due to regulatory prohibitions.

 
 Ozon <a href="https://www.rbc.ru/technology_and_media/04/03/2022/6221f8519a794717a068e483" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">noted</a> that in the event of early repayment of the debt and accrued interest, the company’s funds that could be used for operating activities will be reduced.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/iandeks-i-ozon-obiavili-o-vozmozhnom-defolte-po-evroobligatsiiam-iz-za-priostanovki-torgov-ikh-aktsiiami-v-ssha/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Yandex and Ozon Warn of the Possible Default Due to Stock Trading Halt

Ivan Karpov has been appointed Vice President and CIO of Pochta Bank. He replaced Andrey Frolov, who left the bank.

 
 Karpov will be responsible for the development of the IT strategy and the development of the infrastructure of information systems and software in the bank. According to him, the audit of the status of IT is one of the top priorities.

 
 Before joining Pochta Bank, Karpov <a href="https://bosfera.ru/press-release/ivan-karpov-naznachen-it-direktorom-pochta-banka#:~:text=%D0%98%D0%B2%D0%B0%D0%BD%20%D0%9A%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%BF%D0%BE%D0%B2%20%D0%BD%D0%B0%D0%B7%D0%BD%D0%B0%D1%87%D0%B5%D0%BD%20%D0%B2%D0%B8%D1%86%D0%B5%2D%D0%BF%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%B7%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BD%D1%82%D0%BE%D0%BC,%D0%B8%20%D0%BF%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B3%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BC%D0%BC%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%B3%D0%BE%20%D0%BE%D0%B1%D0%B5%D1%81%D0%BF%D0%B5%D1%87%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B8%D1%8F%20%D0%B2%20%D0%B1%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%BA%D0%B5." target="_blank" rel="nofollow">was</a> the CIO at MSP Bank and worked as CIO at Vostochny Bank.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/ivan-karpov-stal-direktorom-po-informatsionnym-tekhnologiiam-pochta-banka/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

TAdviser

Ivan Karpov Becomes the CIO of Pochta Bank

Rostelecom’s revenue in 2021 amounted to $4.46 billion (580 billion rubles). The growth was 6%, compared to 2020. At the same time, the company’s net profit grew by 26% to $244.6 million (31.8 billion rubles).

 
 The structure of revenue for 2021 includes:

<ul>
 <li>mobile communications — $1.49 billion (194 billion rubles), 10% year-on-year growth;</li>
 <li>fixed Internet — $769.2 million (100 billion rubles), 11% growth compared to 2020;</li>
 <li>digital services — $676.9 million (88 billion rubles), 14% year-on-year growth;</li>
 <li>&nbsp;fixed telephony — $376.9 million (49 billion rubles), 11% compared to the results of 2020.</li>
</ul>

 
 Revenue in the B2C segment in 2021 increased to $1 billion (138 billion rubles). The B2B/G segment grew by 5% to $1 billion (136 billion rubles). B2O grew to $446.1 million (58 billion rubles, with 7% year-on-year growth. The revenue of digital clusters over the past year increased by $688.4 million (89.5 billion rubles), with 18% growth, while mobile business grew to $1.58 billion (205 billion rubles), a 11% growth.

 
 Rostelecom’s experts also clarified that the company “for now will refrain from forecasting key performance indicators in 2022.”

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/rostelekom-narastil-vyruchku-za-proshlyi-god-na-6/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Rostelecom

Rostelecom’s Revenue Increases by 6% in 2021

The Head of the Ministry of Digital Development Maksut Shadayev has sent a letter to Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin with prepared measures to support the telecom industry in relation to the imposed sanctions against Russia.

 
 The document contains the following measures:

<ul>
 <li>to suspend for a year the requirement of the "Yarovaya Law" to increase the storage capacity of information by 15% and the obligation to store video traffic;</li>
 <li>to introduce a mechanism for fair indexation of telecom operators' tariffs, which will take into account price increases;</li>
 <li>to introduce a moratorium on the enforcement of additional burdens for owners of frequencies for mobile communications in the LTE (4G) standard, including coverage of federal highways and small towns until the situation with the supply of equipment normalizes;</li>
 <li>to ensure the possibility of joint use by operators of the infrastructure of the communication network;</li>
 <li>to establish a tax rate for income tax for telecom operators in the amount of 3% for the period until December 31, 2024;</li>
 <li>to establish a moratorium on the contributions of telecom operators to the universal service reserve until December 31, 2024;</li>
 <li>to provide operators with preferential loans at a rate of no more than 3% for the purchase of telecom equipment, replenishment of working capital and support of communication infrastructure;</li>
 <li>to establish a moratorium on transfers, dismantling of communication facilities and facilities according to the requirements of state and municipal authorities;</li>
 <li>to postpone scheduled inspections of telecom operators from 2022 to 2023.</li>
</ul>

 
 In addition, the Minister ordered to start implementing these measures and provide for their funding. It is assumed that they will allow the telecom infrastructure to function stably, and operators to restrain the rise in prices for their services.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/mintsifry-podgotovilo-mery-podderzhki-dlia-telekom-otrasli/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Ministry of Digital Development Prepares Support Measures for Telecom Industry

The Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation has applied to the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Digital Development, the Ministry of Economic Development, and the Federal Tax Service to agree on the tax maneuver in the IT industry for the manufacturers of radio-electronic products.

 
 It is proposed to reduce income tax to 3% and insurance premiums to 7.6% for companies that produce or sell self-developed electronic components.

 
 The ministry’s experts believe that the measures can offset the effects of sanctions affecting the industry. “Russian manufacturers of electronic components can become especially vulnerable in the new conditions since today many enterprises producing microelectronic parts are already operating under the sanctions regime,” the experts of the Ministry of Industry and Trade noted.

 
 The initiative of the Ministry of Industry and Trade was <a href="https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/5129408" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">announced</a> in December. Similar benefits for the IT industry have <a href="https://www.forbes.ru/tekhnologii/447175-vlasti-zarabotali-na-nalogovom-manevre-dla-it-kompanij-48-mlrd-rublej" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">been in effect</a> since last year.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/minpromtorg-nameren-soglasovat-polozheniia-nalogovogo-manevra-dlia-it-otrasli-na-proizvoditelei-radioelektroniki/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Market in Brief