Laptops in Russia to Feature Domestic Operating Systems by Default

The Russian government backs a proposal to make local operating systems mandatory on all laptops sold in the country.

At the CIPR-2025 tech forum, Alexey Melnikov, managing partner at IT holding Fplus, proposed that all laptops sold in Russia—including those on major platforms like DNS, Ozon, and Wildberries—must come with at least one pre-installed Russian operating system. His suggestion received support from Russia’s Minister of Digital Development, Maksut Shadayev, as reported by Vedomosti.

Under the proposal, domestic systems such as Alt, Astra Linux, and Red OS would be required, while Windows could still be present but would no longer be the default. Melnikov emphasized that this move poses no risk of inflation or public backlash.

He also floated the idea of extending this requirement to smartphones, referencing China’s successful promotion of Huawei’s Harmony OS through state policy. However, Shadayev warned that imposing such rules on smartphones could provoke tensions, particularly with Chinese manufacturers.

The discussion took place during a press breakfast at the CIPR-2025 forum.