Leading international electronics companies, including Samsung and Xiaomi, have resumed advertising in Russia after suspending product promotion after the start of the full-scale invasion, Russian state media outlet Kommersant reported, citing TelecomDaily data.
Some global companies that ended or downsized their operations in Russia after February 2022 have continued to work in the country, sometimes through third-party advertisers or distributors.
Samsung said in March 2022 that it had suspended product shipments to Russia. Xiaomi, and other electronics companies had no recorded advertising in Russia in 2022 following the invasion, but the level of promotion in 2023 matched or even exceeded that of 2021, Kommersant reported.
In a response to Kommersant's request for comment, Samsung said it "does not supply electronics to the Russian Federation." Xiaomi did not respond to the request.
As Western electronics manufacturers have sought to end their operations in Russia, Chinese companies such as Xiaomi have increasingly taken their place.
Reuters reported in April 2023 that Chinese-made smartphones had grown to comprise 70% of the Russian market, up 20% from the previous year.