Russia bans imports of software for critical information infrastructure without approval

Russian President Vladimir Putin banned the acquisition of foreign software for critical information infrastructure without the consent of authorized executive body starting from March 31. The decree was published on Wednesday on the official website of legal information.

Thus, from March 31, 2022, customers (except for organizations with municipal participation) cannot purchase foreign software "to use it on their own significant sites of the critical information infrastructure of the Russian Federation", as well as "services necessary for the use of such software on these sites", without approval from the federal executive body authorized by the government of the Russian Federation, the document said.

Such infrastructure includes information systems and telecommunication networks critical for the operation of key areas - healthcare, manufacturing industry, communications, transport, energy, financial sector, and municipal facilities.