The Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade excluded brands like Samsung and SK Hynix from the parallel import list in May 2026. This decision, along with the removal of dozens of other manufacturers, has led to a shortage of memory components and server equipment within Russia.
A working group under the government's AI subcommittee has been discussing the potential reversal of these restrictions since August 2026. The goal is to simplify the import process for computing hardware to ensure that data centers can access necessary components.
Industry experts note that while Russia produces servers and storage systems, it lacks domestic manufacturing for DRAM, NAND, and HBM memory chips. These components are essential for modern hardware and are currently sourced from international suppliers.
The urgency of the situation has increased following recent drone attacks on data centers operated by Yandex, Sberbank, and VK. The industry is currently shifting from planned capacity expansion to emergency recovery, making the availability of components a critical priority.
