    <p>
    The Bank of Russia announced that 12 banks would take part in the pilot project for testing the digital ruble. Among these banks are Sberbank, VTB, Gazprombank, Alfa-Bank, Dom.RF Bank and Rosbank.
</p>
    <p>
    The prototype platform for the digital ruble will be completed in December, and testing will begin in January 2022. It will take place in several stages over the year. According to the information on the website of the regulating agency, based on the testing results, a roadmap for the implementation of the digital ruble will be prepared.
</p>
    <p>
    During the first stage, it is planned to test the emission of the digital ruble and other operations, which were not specified in the announcement.
</p>
    <p>
    In October last year it was announced that the Central Bank was considering the possibility of issuing the digital ruble. After public discussions, in early April, the regulator presented the concept of the new form of currency.
</p>
    <p>
    <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/tsb-nazval-spisok-bankov-dlia-testirovaniia-tsifrovogo-rublia/" target="_blank">Original (in Russian)</a>
</p>

Bank of Russia

The Central Bank revealed the list of the banks for digital ruble testing

    <p>
    Next month the NtechLab face recognition system will be implemented at 30 Indian railway stations, including the station in Mumbai - one of the most populated cities in the world. A company representative says that the system has to recognize up to 50 people in the frame simultaneously to work with such a high flow of people.
</p>
    <p>
    The technology integrated with 470 cameras will be implemented in the busiest section of Indian Railways, where it will help authorities to monitor passenger flows and compliance with security measures. In the future, NtechLab plans to expand the surveillance system and implement it in the entire Indian railroad network.
</p>
    <p>
    In June the Ministry of Internal Affairs launched a system for recognizing people and vehicles based on additional features, which was also developed by NtechLab, in several Russian regions.
</p>
    <p>
    <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/tekhnologiia-raspoznavaniia-lits-ntechlab-budet-ispolzovatsia-na-zheleznykh-dorogakh-indii/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>
</p>

TASS

NtechLab face recognition technology will be used in the Indian railway system

    <p>
    The experts from the Rehabilitation Clinic of the Pirogov Center studied how virtual reality can help to prevent doctors’ emotional burnout, and compared the effectiveness of this method with hypnotherapy. Various scenarios for relaxation, which were created jointly with psychologists, were broadcast to the study participants using a special chair and a helmet with VR glasses. The developer of the equipment is VRTech (the company has an office in Moscow).
</p>
    <p>
    The Pirogov Center experts claim that, according to the results of the study, under the influence of hypnotherapy, anxiety decreased by approximately the same amount as in the virtual reality setting.
</p>
    <p>
    <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/v-pirogovskom-tsentre-izuchili-vliianie-vr-tekhnologii-na-borbu-so-stressom/" target="_blank">Original (in Russian)</a>
</p>

rg.ru

The Pirogov Center experts study the effect of VR on stress management

    <p>
    MTS launched the MTS GROM supercomputer with a processing power of 2.26 petaflops to develop the digital ecosystem. The company experts say it the third most powerful supercomputer in Russia (the Lomonosov Moscow State University and Sberbank have their own supercomputers).
</p>
    <p>
    MTS Artificial Intelligence Center plans to implement customer service projects and increase the operational efficiency of the business using the supercomputer. It will accelerate the creation and launch of products in the field of computer vision and industrial analytics, natural language processing, and intelligent video surveillance. Universities, large scientific and medical centers will be able to use MTS GROM in research related to modeling complex processes.
</p>
    <p>
    MTS representatives say that in the future MTS GROM capacities will become available to Russian companies.
</p>
    <p>
    The supercomputer is deployed by #CloudMTS in the MTS data center on the basis of the NVIDIA DGX SuperPOD solution.
</p>
    <p>
    <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/mts-zapustila-superkompiuter-proizvoditelnostiu-2-26-petaflops/" target="_blank">Original (in Russian)</a>
</p>

MTS launched a 2.26-petaflop supercomputer

    <p>
    During the meeting of the Presidium of the Government Commission, strategies for the digital transformation of 13 sectors of the economy were approved. These sectors are healthcare, education, public administration, construction, urban economy and housing and communal services, transport, energy, science, agriculture, financial services, industry, ecology and social sector.
</p>
    <p>
    According to the information on the government’s website, each strategy takes into account the specific features of sectors, the prospects for the introduction of innovative developments and provides for the use of artificial intelligence and scaling of Russian solutions.
</p>
    <p>
    The representatives of the ministries (Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, Ministry of Transport, etc.) held more than 40 strategic meetings with business community during the preparation of the documents. Among these companies were Sber, Yandex, KamAZ, Gazprom Neft, R-Pharm, Skyeng, Mail.ru Group, 1C, VTB, Sibur, DOM.RF , Rosatom.
</p>
    <p>
    The strategies were developed in accordance with the instructions of Vladimir Putin, which state that the goal of digital transformation strategies is to scale competitive Russian solutions.
</p>
    <p>
    <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/prezidium-pravkomissii-odobril-strategii-tsifrovoi-transformatsii-13-otraslei/" target="_blank">Original (in Russian)</a>
</p>

The Russian Government

The Presidium of the Government Commission approved the strategies for the digital transformation of the Russian economy

    <p>
    According to the Kommersant, the working group of ANO Digital Economy approved a roadmap to stimulate investment activities of operators to facilitate the development of networks using advanced technologies. In the near future, the document will be submitted for consideration by the Presidium of the Government Commission on Digital Development.
</p>
    <p>
    The roadmap includes a set of measures, including increasing charges for using frequency bands for companies that hinder the introduction of 5G and do not free up the necessary frequency bands. Moreover, the roadmap provides for the simplification of operators’ access to apartment blocks and considering the issue of providing organizations (data center operators) with preferential access to electricity market.
</p>
    <p>
    However, the document did not include the measures to implement the investment tax deductions for digital infrastructure, for example, the construction of communication networks and data centers.
</p>
    <p>
    According to Dmitry Kim, Deputy Minister of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media, the ministry will continue to work on the activities that were not included in the roadmap. The head of the working group Anna Serebryanikova also said that the provision on the annual updating of the roadmap could be entrenched in the federal project “Information Infrastructure”.
</p>
    <p>
    <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/ano-tsifrovaia-ekonomika-utverdila-dorozhnuiu-kartu-po-stimulirovaniiu-investitsionnoi-aktivnosti-operatorov/" target="_blank">Original (in Russian)</a>
</p>

Kommersant

ANO Digital Economy approved the roadmap to stimulate investment activities of operators

    <p>
    The testing of Lastochka driverless train started on the experimental railway in Shcherbinka in Moscow, RBC writes, citing Russian Railways.
</p>
    <p>
    The train is equipped with a smart vision system, which includes video cameras (including infrared ones) and lidars. Artificial intelligence detects obstacles in the way. The testing is supervised by the train drivers and expert developers.
</p>
    <p>
    According to the plans of Russian Railways, this year the train will be certified in accordance with level 3 automation (Go3), which includes automatic speed control (in accordance with the schedule) and detection of obstacles in the way. Decision on actions in emergency situations are still made by the driver.
</p>
    <p>
    In May, CEO of Russian Railways Oleg Belozerov announced that driverless electric trains would start operating on the Moscow Central Circle (MCC) in 2024.
</p>
    <p>
    In 2019, Russian Railways demonstrated the self-driving Lastochka on the experimental railway in Shcherbinka for the first time. Then, according to Deputy Prime Minister Maxim Akimov, only Russian systems were used to develop the driverless train.
</p>
    <p>
    <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/v-moskve-nachalis-ispytaniia-bespilotnogo-poezda-lastochka-1/" target="_blank">Original (in Russian)</a>
</p>

RZD (Russian Railways)

Testing of Lastochka driverless train started in Moscow

    <p>
    Rosatom has carried out a lot of work to create the first prototype of a quantum computer already in 2021. TASS wrote about this сiting Ilya Rebrov, Deputy Director General for Economics and Finance of the state corporation.
</p>
    <p>
    “<i>We have signed an agreement with the government on quantum computing, we have a detailed program until at least 2024. This year we expect to make the first prototype of a five-qubit quantum computer,</i>” - he said.
</p>
    <p>
    Rosatom announced the launch of a project to create a Russian quantum computer in November 2019. The cost of the project is estimated at 24 billion rubles.
</p>
    <p>
    <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/rosatom-planiruet-sozdat-pervyi-proobraz-kvantovogo-kompiutera-v-etom-godu/" target="_blank">Original (in Russian)</a>
</p>

Rosatom plans to create the prototype of a quantum computer this year

    <p>
    В 2020 году Москва экспортировала за рубеж электронные детали и платы на сумму $159,21 млн, что составляет 24,7% от общероссийского показателя. Об этом сообщил заместитель мэра Москвы по вопросам экономической политики и имущественно-земельных отношений Владимир Ефимов.
</p>
    <p>
    По его словам, поставки осуществлялись в 101 страну, в числе основных торговых партнеров страны ближнего зарубежья — Казахстан, Беларусь и Узбекистан, а также Китай, Нидерланды и Гонконг.
</p>
    <p>
    Первую позицию в списке товаров экспорта занимает аппаратура приема, преобразования и передачи информации. Объем их поставок составил $65,1 млн. На втором месте — экспорт карточек с чипами, их московские компании экспортировали на сумму $11,4 млн. Среди главных товарных групп экспорта электронных деталей — коммуникационная аппаратура, сумма поставок составила $9,7 млн, компьютерные устройства ввода и вывода — $8,9 млн , а также электронные интегральные схемы с объемом поставок $8,8 млн.
</p>
    <p>
    Отмечается также, что одной из перспективных для роста категорий электронного экспорта являются процессоры и контроллеры. Московские компании поставили их в 2020 году на сумму $8,8 млн, объем экспорта вырос на 4,8% по сравнению с предыдущим годом
</p>
    <p>
    <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/v-2020-godu-obem-eksporta-elektronnykh-detalei-i-plat-kompaniiami-moskvy-sostavil-159-mln/" target="_blank">Original (in Russian)</a>
</p>

mos.ru

In 2020, Moscow companies exported electronic components and boards totaling $159 million

    <p>
    A new federal program named “Brain, Health, Intelligence, Innovation” is being developed in Russia. The program is prepared for the period until 2029. To develop the program, a special working group has been created at the Ministry of Education and Science. According to the Kommersant, the document with the content of the program was prepared by the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Moscow State University, and in March it was approved by President Vladimir Putin.
</p>
    <p>
    It is planned to develop brain-computer interface (BCI) technologies allowing to control external devices (a computer or an exoskeleton) using electrical signals from the brain, which are transformed into control commands using artificial intelligence. The program also involves the creation of interfaces for controlling complex systems, for example, aircraft, nuclear power plants, cars, directly and remotely, using telepresence methods and avatars. In addition, interfaces that “independently form goals, assess situations and make decisions” will be created.
</p>
    <p>
    It is planned to spend 54 billion rubles on the program, and the funds will be allocated from the “Science”, “Demography”, “Healthcare”, “Labor productivity and employment support” and “Digital economy” national projects.
</p>
    <p>
    <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/v-rossii-razrabatyvaiut-federalnuiu-programmu-mozg-zdorove-intellekt-innovatsii/" target="_blank">Original (in Russian)</a>
</p>

“Brain, Health, Intelligence, Innovation” federal program is being developed in Russia

    <p>
    The idea of ​​creating the “National video surveillance platform” information system <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/v-rossii-obsuzhdaetsia-sozdanie-edinoi-sistemy-videonabliudeniia/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">is being discussed</a> in Russia. The system will unite city video surveillance systems throughout the country and become a unified framework for analyzing incoming video data. The model in which cameras will be equipped with computing modules and independently recognize and record incidents, and only after that send the video stream to data centers, will be taken as the basis for the system.
</p>
<h2>
    <b>Pros and cons</b><b></b>
</h2>

    <p>
    The technique, where surveillance cameras with built-in “on-board” video analytics modules are responsible for primary video processing before sending it to the server, is called “edge analytics” - product director of Ivideon, a cloud surveillance systems developer, Zaur Abutalimov explains. In general, experts mentioned both advantages and disadvantages of this approach.
</p>
<div class="incut-block ">
                        <p class="quote-icon">
                    If we speak about the advantages,
first of all, the use of such a system reduces the load on servers. Secondly,
in the long term, this approach can help reduce the operational costs of both
the data center and communication channels. Thirdly, the video surveillance and
video analytics systems are being accelerated, they become faster. This is
achieved due to the fact that the video stream comes to the camera directly
from the matrix, it is not compressed or additionally processed.
        </p>
                        <p>
                    
        </p>
                        <p>
                    
        </p>
                        <p>
                    
        </p>
                        <p>
                    
        </p>
        <div class="quote-owner">
                    <div class="quote-owner__logo">
                <img alt="Zaur Abutalimov" src="https://ict.moscow/static/30a26b46-6786-5ddf-b7a7-ca06d82092d5.jpeg">
            </div >
                <div>
            <p class="quote-owner__title">
                                    Zaur Abutalimov
                            </p>
                            <p class="quote-owner__description">Product director of Ivideon</p>
                    </div>
    </div>
</div>
    <p>
    Other market participants have given similar arguments.
</p>
<div class="incut-block ">
                        <p class="quote-icon">
                    If we consider video cameras networks at the regional level, the introduction of AI cameras will have a cumulative effect on the speed of response processing and will help to save money on the volume of storage on the central node.
        </p>
        <div class="quote-owner">
                    <div class="quote-owner__logo">
                <img alt="Igor Afonin" src="https://ict.moscow/static/51464563-1398-51d6-891c-dec320af5d30.jpeg">
            </div >
                <div>
            <p class="quote-owner__title">
                                    Igor Afonin
                            </p>
                            <p class="quote-owner__description">Director of Multimedia Center and Situation Centers, “T1 Integration”</p>
                    </div>
    </div>
</div>
    <p>
    Despite the higher cost of such cameras, the cost of equipment in the data center will decrease, and in the long term and in case of scaling, the project can be cost-effective.
</p>
<div class="incut-block ">
                        <p class="quote-icon">
                    The proposed solution will significantly increase the number of cameras and reduce the cost of the entire system.
        </p>
        <div class="quote-owner">
                    <div class="quote-owner__logo">
                <img alt="Nikita Mokhnatkin" src="https://ict.moscow/static/e238e1c6-eb0b-54d6-9fa7-2e03f2f17afa.jpeg">
            </div >
                <div>
            <p class="quote-owner__title">
                                    Nikita Mokhnatkin
                            </p>
                            <p class="quote-owner__description">Head of the information systems security sector, Innopolis University</p>
                    </div>
    </div>
</div>
    <p>
    Moreover, since the decision to transmit the video signal to the control center will be made by the camera itself, the recognition algorithms must ensure the highest accuracy in detecting illegal actions, Mokhnatkin points out. However, today, according to ISS, it is still too early to talk about it.
</p>
<div class="incut-block ">
                        <p class="quote-icon">
                    So far, the computing resources of the cameras are not sufficient for the operation of complex video analytics algorithms or complex solutions, where identification of an incident is based on the result of processing data from several video analytics detectors. Thus, the use of video analytics is limited to simple detectors, for example, “abandoned objects”, “object counting”, “line crossing”, “face detection”, etc. Server analytics allows to implement much more flexible and complex solutions.
        </p>
        <div class="quote-owner">
                <div>
            <p class="quote-owner__title">
                                    ISS
                            </p>
                            <p class="quote-owner__description">Press service</p>
                    </div>
    </div>
</div>
    <p>
    Nevertheless, the company representatives add that the quality of processing by built-in video analytics algorithms “on board” the camera can still be higher, and it can be feasible to use the system if narrow data transmission channels are available, or during short-term projects, for example, at public events (festivals, concerts, etc. etc.).
</p>
    <p>
    Market participants mentioned information security risks, the inability to conduct retrospective video analysis, the use of video from one camera to detect different types of incidents, and the necessity to use the products of certain vendors among the main disadvantages of using cameras with computing modules.
</p>
<div class="incut-block ">
                        <p class="quote-icon">
                    Another challenge in using such devices is the need to modernize and update the databases in each of them. For example, in a conventional video surveillance system, it is enough to replace one camera with another with similar or superior characteristics and, if necessary, separately improve the server capacity - the data will be processed in the data center regardless of which source sent it. But this is not the case with a smart camera.
        </p>
        <div class="quote-owner">
                    <div class="quote-owner__logo">
                <img alt="Pavel Lobanovsky" src="https://ict.moscow/static/1ad8b081-04c6-5f5c-b440-3d320142dd98.png">
            </div >
                <div>
            <p class="quote-owner__title">
                                    Pavel Lobanovsky
                            </p>
                            <p class="quote-owner__description">Expert of the engineering systems unit of the IT outsourcing department, KORUS Consulting Group</p>
                    </div>
    </div>
</div>
    <p>
    
</p>
    <p>
    The proposed model has both positive and negative features, so it can be assumed that hybrid solutions will be preferable.
</p>
<div class="incut-block ">
                        <p class="quote-icon">
                    Speaking about the national video surveillance platform, it is necessary to take into account the fact that a huge number of video surveillance networks using cameras with different functionalities have already been deployed in the regions. What approach can prevail in this case is not very clear yet. I believe that a hybrid option will most likely be chosen - in this case new networks will use AI cameras when the need arises, and old networks will be integrated via cheaper communication channels with the central core of the platform.
        </p>
        <div class="quote-owner">
                    <div class="quote-owner__logo">
                <img alt="Igor Afonin" src="https://ict.moscow/static/40f306d4-2f61-5c8b-8c38-c505a3e12d3b.jpeg">
            </div >
                <div>
            <p class="quote-owner__title">
                                    Igor Afonin
                            </p>
                            <p class="quote-owner__description">Director of Multimedia Center and Situation Centers, “T1 Integration”</p>
                    </div>
    </div>
</div>
    <p>
    
</p>
    <p>
    Alexander Sivolobov from Skoltech believes that there is no alternative to smart IP cameras. But in this context the question is what functionality will be entrusted to the cameras, and what functions will be performed by centralized data centers.
</p>
<div class="incut-block ">
                        <p class="quote-icon">
                    It is most likely that the main question will be what kind of architecture the solution will have. Probably, it will be a divided unit, where there will be a separate camera from a well-known manufacturer, and next to it there will be a small server with a system for recognizing faces, cars, etc.
        </p>
        <div class="quote-owner">
                    <div class="quote-owner__logo">
                <img alt="Alexander Sivolobov" src="https://ict.moscow/static/92fd8dd5-2331-5233-9484-87638224f7dc.jpeg">
            </div >
                <div>
            <p class="quote-owner__title">
                                    Alexander Sivolobov
                            </p>
                            <p class="quote-owner__description">Deputy Head of the Skoltech-based NTI Center of Excellence in Wireless Technologies and the Internet of Things</p>
                    </div>
    </div>
</div>
<h2>
    <b>Security issues</b><b></b>
</h2>

    <p>
    Information security risks - possible data leaks and unauthorized access by intruders - are the most widely discussed issue of the potential use of cameras with computing modules.
</p>
<div class="incut-block ">
                        <p class="quote-icon">
                    It is true that additional information security risks are emerging. Smart cameras will be of much greater interest to cybercriminals: the cameras will probably contain confidential data, ranging from the accounts using which they will be connected to the data center to provide remote control or to download updated databases, which will be used for search, to the data itself and the software.
        </p>
        <div class="quote-owner">
                    <div class="quote-owner__logo">
                <img alt="Sergey Nenakhov" src="https://ict.moscow/static/4f8e9447-8188-5306-8dd6-ddf11358a2a7.jpeg">
            </div >
                <div>
            <p class="quote-owner__title">
                                    Sergey Nenakhov
                            </p>
                            <p class="quote-owner__description">Head of information security audit department, Infosecurity (a Softline Company)</p>
                    </div>
    </div>
</div>
    <p>
    
</p>
    <p>
    Special attention is paid to the potential risks of compromising biometric data.
</p>
<div class="incut-block ">
                        <p class="quote-icon">
                    The use of biometric data is becoming more popular, however, in my opinion, protective measures for the collection, storage and processing of such data are not enough. Today, the only good thing that protects us from large-scale incidents is the fact that biometric data is used just as an additional security factor.
        </p>
        <div class="quote-owner">
                    <div class="quote-owner__logo">
                <img alt="Sergey Zolotukhin" src="https://ict.moscow/static/50bd80d1-9c76-5b88-8ab3-e18376adc59e.jpeg">
            </div >
                <div>
            <p class="quote-owner__title">
                                    Sergey Zolotukhin
                            </p>
                            <p class="quote-owner__description">Information security specialist, Group-IB</p>
                    </div>
    </div>
</div>
    <p>
    Sergey Nenakhov from Softline believes that due to the relative physical accessibility of individual devices it will be necessary to pay special attention to protecting channels of communication with the data center, and protecting data on the device, for example, using encryption. Andrey Arsentiev from InfoWatch Group says that cybercriminals will be interested in the data in central storages. According to the expert, it will be necessary “to implement measures to protect data from copying and transmission by internal violators”.
</p>
    <p>
    Nikita Mokhnatkin from Innopolis University has a different point of view. He believes that the proposed model is more secure.
</p>
<div class="incut-block ">
                        <p class="quote-icon">
                    The decentralized architecture will ensure information security of personal data. It is easier to protect one server than hundreds of cameras. At the same time, if the intruders manage to hack a classic data center, they will get access to all information at once, and in the case of separate surveillance cameras only a small part of information will be available to violators.
        </p>
        <div class="quote-owner">
                    <div class="quote-owner__logo">
                <img alt="Nikita Mokhnatkin" src="https://ict.moscow/static/973ea9c7-6995-59d0-8976-c02b25f3c78d.jpeg">
            </div >
                <div>
            <p class="quote-owner__title">
                                    Nikita Mokhnatkin
                            </p>
                            <p class="quote-owner__description">Head of the information systems security sector, Innopolis University</p>
                    </div>
    </div>
</div>
    <p>
    
</p>
<h2>
    <b>Experience of the first ones</b><b></b>
</h2>

    <p>
    Global surveillance systems are being implemented all over the world, they are widely used in Asian countries. But the use of cameras with built-in computing modules will be an innovation.
</p>
<div class="incut-block ">
                        <p class="quote-icon">
                    I am not aware of any significant experience in using such systems. The implementation of advanced technologies for detecting illegal actions is “at the cutting edge” of technologies, these are the latest scientific achievements, and it will not be possible to “adopt someone’s experience”. These are innovations, and in this case Russia is in the first echelon.
        </p>
        <div class="quote-owner">
                    <div class="quote-owner__logo">
                <img alt="Nikita Mokhnatkin" src="https://ict.moscow/static/56937e4d-06dc-5716-961a-3ab4f9f5e945.jpeg">
            </div >
                <div>
            <p class="quote-owner__title">
                                    Nikita Mokhnatkin
                            </p>
                            <p class="quote-owner__description">Head of the information systems security sector, Innopolis University</p>
                    </div>
    </div>
</div>
    <p>
    
</p>
    <p>
    Both ISS and T1 Integration representatives mention this point.
</p>
<div class="incut-block ">
                        <p class="quote-icon">
                    I have not seen materials on the implementation of large video surveillance systems using AI cameras with a detailed description of the functionality in the open sources.
        </p>
        <div class="quote-owner">
                    <div class="quote-owner__logo">
                <img alt="Igor Afonin" src="https://ict.moscow/static/3c081c93-e7b7-5c69-85bc-00aebbf4bbc6.jpeg">
            </div >
                <div>
            <p class="quote-owner__title">
                                    Igor Afonin
                            </p>
                            <p class="quote-owner__description">Director of Multimedia Center and Situation Centers, “T1 Integration”</p>
                    </div>
    </div>
</div>
<div class="incut-block ">
                        <p class="quote-icon">
                    It seems like we have not seen similar projects, which have been maintained for a long time after launch.
        </p>
        <div class="quote-owner">
                <div>
            <p class="quote-owner__title">
                                    ISS
                            </p>
                            <p class="quote-owner__description">Press service</p>
                    </div>
    </div>
</div>
    <p>
    However, Zaur Abutalimov from Ivideon notes that the use of cameras with built-in video analytics modules in local projects is <i>“a worldwide practice for Safe City projects, which has already replaced the outdated continuous streaming method, which is less secure due to possible failures resulting from increased load on the network and servers”</i>. The expert mentions the example of <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/are-you-ready-for-facial-recognition-at-the-airport-11565775008" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">using</a> facial recognition at the check-in counters in US airports, and the example of <a href="https://www.tadviser.ru/index.php/%D0%9F%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B5%D0%BA%D1%82:%D0%A1%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B3%D0%B0%D0%BF%D1%83%D1%80_%D0%BF%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B2%D1%8B%D0%BC_%D0%B2_%D0%BC%D0%B8%D1%80%D0%B5_%D0%B7%D0%B0%D0%BF%D1%83%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B8%D0%BB_%D0%BD%D0%B0%D1%86%D0%B8%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%B0%D0%BB%D1%8C%D0%BD%D1%83%D1%8E_%D1%81%D0%B8%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B5%D0%BC%D1%83_%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%81%D0%BF%D0%BE%D0%B7%D0%BD%D0%B0%D0%B2%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B8%D1%8F_%D0%BB%D0%B8%D1%86_%D0%B4%D0%BB%D1%8F_%D1%83%D0%B4%D0%BE%D1%81%D1%82%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B8%D1%8F_%D0%BB%D0%B8%D1%87%D0%BD%D0%BE%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B8" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">using</a> technology for identification in Singapore.
</p>
    <p>
    In other words, edge analytics technology is currently used only in local projects in some countries and is at the initial stage of development. The implementation of such a video surveillance project at the national level may set a great precedent on the world stage.
</p>
    <p>
    <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/reaktsiia-otrasli-v-rossii-obsuzhdaiut-sozdanie-edinoi-sistemy-videonabliudeniia/" target="_blank">Original (in Russian)</a>
</p>

Experts — about the advantages and disadvantages of the “National video surveillance platform”

ICT.Moscow

The creation of a unified video surveillance system is being discussed in Russia

    <p>
    According to the Bank of America report, <a href="https://ict.moscow/card/yandeks-drayv" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Yandex.Drive</a> lost 9 p.p. of market share in Moscow over the year, and <a href="https://ict.moscow/card/delimobil" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Delimobil</a> became the new leader in terms of the number of rides, Kommersant reports. Analysts based their analysis on the statistics of the Moscow Department of Transport on the use of car sharing services from June 2020 to June 2021.
</p>
    <p>
    In terms of the number of rides, Yandex.Drive’s share in June 2020 was 48.7%, in November - 41.5%, and 39.9% in June of this year. Meanwhile, Delimobil’s share increased from 37.1% to 40.5%, and <a href="https://ict.moscow/card/belkacar" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">BelkaCar’</a>s share rose from 10.6% to 15.9%. The share of other operators, including Citydrive (formerly known as <a href="https://ict.moscow/cards/?tags=YouDrive" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">YouDrive</a>), remained at 3.7%.
</p>
    <p>
    <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/bank-of-america-delimobil-stal-novym-liderom-na-moskovskom-rynke-karsheringa/" target="_blank">Original (in Russian)</a>
</p>

Bank of America: Delimobil is the new leader in the Moscow car sharing market

    <p>
    Moscow was ranked second among European cities in the Global Startup Ecosystem Index 2021 presented by StartupBlink. London was ranked first, and the third city in the ranking is Paris. A year earlier, the Russian capital was in third place.
</p>
    <p>
    In the global ranking, Moscow is among the top 10 megacities and was ranked ninth, just like in last year’s ranking. San Francisco, New York and Beijing are the top three cities in the ranking.
</p>
    <p>
    The annual ranking is made using a database that contains more than 1 thousand cities, 70 thousand startups, 2 thousand coworking spaces and 800 accelerators around the world. Analysts take into account the number and quality of innovative companies, innovative infrastructure facilities and the volume of investments.
</p>
    <p>
    <a href="https://www.startupblink.com/ru" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Global Startup Ecosystem Index</a>
</p>
    <div>
        <a class="image_link" target="_blank" href="https://www.startupblink.com/ru">
            <img alt="" data-openpopup="0"
                 src="https://ict.moscow/static/1200x/1978c534-2c51-5e8b-ad73-f8f11cd58060.png">
        </a>
    </div>

    <p>
    
</p>
    <p>
    <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/issledovanie-moskva-zaniala-vtoroe-mesto-v-evrope-v-reitinge-ekosistem-dlia-startapov/" target="_blank">Original (in Russian)</a>
</p>

Research: Moscow was ranked second in Europe in the startup ecosystems ranking

    <p>
    According to the Kommersant, the Russian government is discussing the development of the “National video surveillance platform” information system (thereinafter - GIS). The system will become a unified framework for analyzing video from all city cameras in the country. Within the GIS model, cameras with computing modules will be used, they will identify and record incidents and only then send the video stream to the data center.
</p>
    <p>
    It may take 5 years to complete the project, and National Technologies, the joint venture of Rostec and Rostelecom, may become the contractor. The units of Rostec will develop the hardware part, and Rostelecom will develop the software. GIS is going to become an integral part of the “Safe City” hardware-software complex.
</p>
    <p>
    <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/v-rossii-obsuzhdaetsia-sozdanie-edinoi-sistemy-videonabliudeniia/" target="_blank">Original (in Russian)</a>
</p>

Creation of a unified video surveillance system is being discussed in Russia

    <p>
    According to The Bell, Yandex is negotiating the acquisition of the Azbuka Vkusa supermarket chain. The deal is aimed at creating synergy with Yandex.Lavka, a product delivery service. According to one of the sources, both companies are targeting the premium audience, Lavka is actively developing the sale of ready-to-eat food, the segment in which Azbuka Vkusa is strong, and will be able to quickly expand this area with the help of the deal.
</p>
    <p>
    One of the sources mentioned Amazon’s acquisition of Whole Foods, a premium supermarket chain, as an example. Whole Foods has retained the stores and the retailer’s brand after the acquisition.
</p>
    <p>
    The representative of Yandex said the company would not comment on the rumors. Representatives of Azbuka Vkusa refused to comment, the newspaper writes.
</p>
    <p>
    Azbuka Vkusa is one of the key partners of Yandex.Lavka, The Bell reminds. The service has been selling ready-to-eat food from Azbuka Vkusa for several months, and the retailer announced that it would give the exclusive rights for express food delivery to the services of Yandex, and would refuse to partner with its competitors.
</p>
    <p>
    <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/iandeks-vedet-peregovory-o-pokupke-seti-azbuka-vkusa/" target="_blank">Original (in Russian)</a>
</p>

The Bell

Yandex is negotiating the acquisition of the Azbuka Vkusa retail chain

    <p>
    BestDoctor, a corporate healthcare service, raised $26 million from Winter Capital Partners and two European funds to create a health management platform. The platform will be based on the “Virtual clinic” - a service of online medical consultations, and solutions in preventive medicine, solutions for analysis of patient data and recommendations based on this data, tools for navigation in the healthcare system and services for maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
</p>
    <p>
    By the end of the year, the company plans to enter the B2C market, scale the online consultation service, and by the end of 2022 expects 7 billion rubles revenue.
</p>
    <p>
    “This year we are moving towards a digital medical ecosystem and building a platform for health management,” - <a href="https://www.facebook.com/mark.sanevich" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Mark Sanevich</a>, co-founder of BestDoctor, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/mark.sanevich/posts/4344217018941864" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">says</a>.
</p>
    <p>
    <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/bestdoctor-privlek-investitsii-na-sozdanie-platformy-po-upravleniiu-zdorovem/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>
</p>

Forbes

BestDoctor raised investment to create a health management platform

    <p>
    According to RBC, Beeline acquires DataFort, a cloud division of IBS. The deal can be completed in the coming days. However, the companies will have to obtain permission from the government commission on monitoring foreign investment, since DataFort works with cryptographic tools, and VimpelCom belongs to VEON, which is a foreign holding. The FAS confirmed that the commission had already received the application for the deal.
</p>
    <p>
    IBS estimates that the value of its subsidiary company is 2.5-3 billion rubles. According to another source, for Beeline the deal is “a very good opportunity to strengthen its cloud services b2b direction, and for IBS it is a good exit”.
</p>
    <p>
    According to iKS-Consulting, in 2020 the value of the Russian cloud market grew by 19.5% compared to the previous year and reached almost 99.7 billion rubles. The largest players were subsidiary companies of Rostelecom (20.8%) and MTS (11.2%), as well as CROC (8.3%), Selectel (8.2%) and SberCloud (6.2%).
</p>
    <p>
    In early April, TAdviser <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/bilain-vedet-peregovory-o-pokupke-oblachnogo-provaidera-ibs-datafort" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">reported</a> that Beeline was negotiating the acquisition of IBS DataFort cloud provider.
</p>
    <p>
    <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/bilain-pokupaet-oblachnyi-biznes-u-ibs/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>
</p>

Beeline acquires cloud business from IBS

    <p>
    Deputy Chairman of the Security Council Dmitry Medvedev during the meeting concerning the protection of national interests of the Russian Federation in developing AI, said that the Russian authorities needed to determine the position on the ethical issues of using AI. In particular, it is necessary to formulate the position regarding the possible ban on the use of certain forms of artificial intelligence, restriction of its use in certain areas and introduction of external control over developments in this area.
</p>
    <p>
    Dmitry Medvedev <a href="https://tass.ru/ekonomika/11597005" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">highlighted</a> several ideas:
</p>
<ul>
    <li>ethical issues of using AI have not yet been addressed anywhere;</li>
</ul>

<ul>
    <li>it is important “not to go too far” in the issue of regulation;</li>
</ul>

<ul>
    <li>the issues of creating ethical standards for AI, establishing an obligation for developers to disclose their programs to the public and external audit have yet to be regulated;</li>
</ul>

<ul>
    <li>it is necessary to establish the production of Russian AI technologies and facilitate the promotion of these technologies in overseas markets.</li>
</ul>

    <p>
    In addition, Medvedev <a href="https://www.rbc.ru/technology_and_media/08/06/2021/60bf5bb19a794771adf69854" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">clarified that</a> so far, within BRICS, there is no document regulating the use of artificial intelligence. “<i>The document could provide links to model laws that regulate the issues that are relevant for all countries. These are issues of autonomous vehicles, development and implementation of intelligent solutions, artificial intelligence in medicine and healthcare</i>,” - Medvedev said.
</p>
    <p>
    <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/dmitrii-medvedev-predlozhil-opredelitsia-s-pozitsiei-po-eticheskim-voprosam-primeneniia-ii/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>
</p>

ria.ru

Dmitry Medvedev proposed to formulate the position on ethical issues of using AI

    <p>
    TalkBank, which is developing a fintech platform and a virtual bank in messengers, raised 218 million rubles from the MTS venture fund, IIDF and other investors. The funds will be used to strengthen the team, infrastructure, expand the company’s market presence in Russia and launch a pilot project in Europe.
</p>
    <p>
    Currently, the startup is also developing the MTS Bank Now bot, which is built on the API of MTS Bank and its own chatbot technologies. The new product will be launched in the coming months and will make it possible to apply for a virtual card, make p2p transfers and will also have a digital financial assistant.
</p>
    <p>
    <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/fintekh-platforma-talkbank-privlekla-bolee-200-mln-rub/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>
</p>

 Talkbank

Talkbank fintech platform raised over $2.7 million

    <p>
    Rostelecom, Gazprom Neft, Rosatom and Roskosmos will jointly create the Association of the largest consumers of software and equipment. The memorandum on cooperation was signed at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on June 4.
</p>
    <p>
    The Association will integrate the actions of the partners in interaction with government regulators, software developers and equipment suppliers. According to a press release from Rostelecom, the parties will also work on developing requirements for software and technologies, help manufacturers to improve products and enhance their competitiveness.
</p>
    <p>
    The activities of the Association will also optimize the companies’ and state corporations’ costs of searching for new Russian IT solutions and testing of these solutions.
</p>
    <p>
    <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/v-rossii-poiavitsia-assotsiatsiia-krupneishikh-potrebitelei-po-i-oborudovaniia/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>
</p>

Rostelecom

The Association of the largest consumers of software and equipment will be created in Russia

    <p>
    Sberbank announced the acquisition of 100% of JivoSite LLC, which develops Jivo - a customer communication platform. The deal will be closed in July 2021; according to Kommersant, the deal is <a href="https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/4848235" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">estimated</a> at 1.5-2 billion rubles.
</p>
    <p>
    Sberbank plans to integrate Jivo into its ecosystem and increase the number of available channels of communication with the bank’s companies for their clients. The founders of the platform will continue to work in the company: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/timur.valishev" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Timur Valishev</a> - as CEO, Nikolay Ivannikov - as CTO.
</p>
    <p>
    <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/platforma-dlia-obshcheniia-s-klientami-jivo-voidet-v-ekosistemu-sbera/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian) </a>
</p>

Sberbank

Jivo, a customer communication platform, will be included in the Sberbank ecosystem

    <p>
    The Ministry of Digital Development and the Ministry of Energy jointly with Rosneft, Rosseti and Rosatom are working on the law on industrial data. At the beginning of June, a concept has already been created and the first draft of the federal law has been prepared. The document regulates the direct exchange of data between companies and exchange through intermediaries - cloud storages or operators, regulates data verification, the rules for data depersonalization and security standards.
</p>
    <p>
    According to Deputy Minister of Energy Pavel Sorokin, one of the key tasks is to make industrial data available for implementation in Russia: to create the market and regulation. To facilitate the exchange of data, it is necessary to create open standards and APIs for access and integration. The document will enable the creation of unified platforms.
</p>
    <p>
    <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/mintsifry-i-minenergo-prorabatyvaiut-zakon-o-promyshlennykh-dannykh/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>
</p>

TAdviser

The Ministry of Digital Development and the Ministry of Energy are working on the law on industrial data

    <p>
    Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin and Rostelecom President Mikhail Oseevsky signed an agreement to jointly develop 5G/IMT-2020 communication networks in Moscow at the St.Petersburg International Economic Forum.
</p>
    <p>
    According to the document, an industrial test site will be created in Moscow, and 5G/IMT-2020 usage scenarios will be developed. Such technologies as artificial intelligence, augmented and virtual reality, big data, and the developments in medicine (robotization of hospitals, remote diagnostics and high-quality broadcasting, creation of a “digital twin” for hospitals), security (smart video analytics and biometrics, access control and management systems) and transport will be tested at the test site.
</p>
    <p>
    <a href="https://www.company.rt.ru/press/news/d459513" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">According to</a> Rostelecom representatives, such test sites are being created on the basis of urban facilities (a section of a transport network, a manufacturing enterprise, a social institution, etc.), and consumers and developers of digital services that use 5G capabilities will be involved in the work at the test sites.
</p>
    <p>
    The Moscow DIT will coordinate the implementation of measures within the framework of the document. The development of industrial test sites is <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/v-kabmine-utverdili-dorozhnuiu-kartu-razvitiia-mobilnykh-setei-sviazi-piatogo-pokoleniia" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">specified in</a> the roadmap for 5G networks development, which was approved by the Government of the Russian Federation in November.
</p>
    <p>
    <a href="https://www.facebook.com/evgeny.novikov.142" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Evgeny Novikov</a>, Advisor to the Deputy Head of the Moscow DIT, in March said that the creation of 5G industrial test sites was the next stage of testing 5G networks in Moscow. Read more on the trends in 5G testing in the <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/news/5g-expert-discussion/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">material</a>.
</p>
<div>
    <img alt="" data-openpopup="0"
         src="https://ict.moscow/static/1200x/331863e2-9fa0-5752-b77d-672244317072.png">
</div>

    <p>
    <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/moskva-i-rostelekom-dogovorilis-o-sozdanii-industrialnogo-poligona-5g/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>
</p>

Moscow News Agency

Moscow and Rostelecom will create a 5G industrial test site

    <p>
    Yandex, Lanit, VTB and computer equipment manufacturer Gigabyte have signed an agreement on the creation of a joint venture at the SPIEF. The new company will build a plant in Russia that will produce servers and storage systems for data centers, and also gateways and components for smart devices, for example, for the Internet of Things. The first servers will be produced in 2022.
</p>
    <p>
    Yandex and Gigabyte will provide patents, technologies and their server hardware developments. Lanit will provide the enterprise with distribution services and service centers. VTB will be the investor of the project. Yandex and Lanit will provide investments for the project, but the amount of investments has not been specified.
</p>
    <p>
    According to <a href="https://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prEUR247560821" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">IDC</a>, the server hardware market in Russia at the end of 2020 was estimated at $1.3 billion and grew by more than 18% over the year.
</p>
    <p>
    <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/iandeks-lanit-gigabyte-i-vtb-sozdadut-sp-dlia-proizvodstva-serverov-v-rossii/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>
</p>

Market in Brief