MOSCOW, November 8. /TASS/. Nokia, the Finnish telecom, IT and consumer electronics multinational, which left the Russian market, plans to supply spare parts for its equipment installed with Russian telecom operators, a source close to one of the telecom operators told TASS on Tuesday.

"After leaving Russia, Nokia will supply spare parts for telecommunications equipment installed with Russian operators," the source said.

These spare parts should be enough for at least three years, the source added.

Earlier, the RBC newspaper reported, citing sources close to the telecom operator and government sources, that Nokia had applied to the US regulator, the US Bureau of Industry and Security, for export licenses to supply telecommunications equipment spare parts to Russia. This is necessary to maintain the functioning of existing networks for three years and fulfill obligations to customers, the source said to the newspaper.

Telesystems Service LLC (TSS) will provide maintenance for the equipment installed with Russian telecom operators, the newspaper wrote.

According to the paper’s sources, the company is preparing to conclude agreements for technical support of Nokia equipment from January 1, 2023, and some employees of the Finnish company’s Russian legal entities will also get a job there.

TSS was established in late July in St. Petersburg. Judging by the company's website, its employees "are experts in Nokia solutions in all key domains of carrier networks."

In August 2022, Reuters reported, citing a Nokia representative, that the company would finally cease operations in Russia. It was also reported that by the end of the year, the vast majority of the company's employees in Russia would leave Nokia, and the offices would be vacated.