INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
For many Russian IT specialists, the fallout from the invasion of Ukraine heralded disaster
Zykov, director of projects for IT firm Digital Platforms, who was behind the creation of NashStore, a self-styled Russian alternative to
Google Play.NashStore is one of a host of domestic tech analogues seeking to replace Western firms forced out of Russia by Kremlin bans or
All have experienced significant teething problems.While Google Play still operates in Russia, Alphabet, which owns Google Play, suspended
the company claimed more than million bots flooded its servers
create a similar product.An app store called RuMarket was opened in April and Russian internet giant VK launched RuStore the following month
in conjunction with state-owned lender Sberbank, cybersecurity firm Kaspersky Lab and tech giant Yandex.With the involvement of major
said that the Ministry of Digital Development, Communication, and Mass Media ditched NashStore in favor of its VK rival without any
earlier this month that would mandate the creation of a Russian app store and oblige it to be installed on all smartphones and other
the coming weeks.Russian apps installed on a smartphone.Moskva News AgencyBut even if tech companies can secure state support, they do not
2,5 million, the number of apps on NashStore is closer to 1,000
klimarev / instagramThere are just a handful of foreign apps on either RuStore and NashStore, and there is no way to download social
networks including Twitter, Instagram and Facebook that are deemed extremist in Russia
it is too difficult to load software unauthorized by Apple onto iPhones
NashStore asked the Russian parliament in April to pressure Apple into allowing such sideloads on their smartphones, but no legislation was
digital analogues may find it necessary to produce every component of its digital infrastructure independently, from microchips to operating
