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Ministry: Close Russia’s door to Cisco for good, let local players occupy vacant niche

It is noted that it is necessary that Russia requests Russian-made electronics with domestic software, which should become the basis of technological independence

MOSCOW, October 19. /TASS/. US company Cisco should not be allowed to return to Russia’s market of telecom equipment and software, the niche should be filled by local solutions, Deputy Head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade Vasily Shpak said on Wednesday.

"There will be no return [to Western equipment]. Although our ‘esteemed’ partners are constantly pushing us towards it. Not so long ago, the Americans withdrew telecommunications equipment from sanctions, and today it has been reported in the media that Cisco is going to return to our market. The most important thing is that we understand that this company should not be allowed to easily return to the same space it had vacated," Shpak said.

It is necessary that Russia requests Russian-made electronics with domestic software, which should become the basis of technological independence, Shpak explained. "This niche should be occupied by our manufacturers," he stressed.

Izvestia reported earlier citing three sources that Cisco could resume deliveries to Russia with IBS as a distributor. The decision to keep business in Russia may be due to the corporation's financial losses, R-Style Softlab CEO Lev Frenkel told the newspaper. According to his estimations, after leaving the country, Cisco lost $200 mln in profit for the quarter.

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