Full networks: Russia is actively increasing exports through marketplaces
The Russian government is rebuilding the principles of digital export, from simplifying customs procedures to creating full—fledged logistics chains through marketplaces. The new vector was determined by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, who instructed to develop a roadmap for promoting domestic products through digital platforms by March 31, 2026. The ambitious initiative faces an important task: to find its own niche among competitors in China, the United States and the EU. It is equally important to clear the market of counterfeits without losing the export pace. Read more about the situation in the Izvestia article.
Export by click
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin instructed the responsible departments to develop a roadmap for the export of Russian goods and solutions through digital platforms by March 31 next year.
Alexey Solodov, Vice President of the Russian Export Center, told Izvestia that Russia already has specific product categories capable of becoming export flagships without direct competition with global giants.
— First of all, Russia can confidently take and strengthen its position in the export of natural cosmetics and organic agricultural products. This includes premium gastronomy based on the natural potential of Russian territories. These positions are already in high demand on international marketplaces, and their share will grow," he is confident.
According to Alexey Solodov, foreign buyers appreciate the "history of origin": taiga extracts and other traditional recipes create a unique positioning and allow them to enter the premium segment. And the low weight and long shelf life of many products simplify logistics and reduce export costs.
— It is important to combine production transparency, laboratory quality assurance and competent marketing through local opinion leaders. Already today, we are using this approach to promote Russian products on 21 of the world's largest marketplaces, where 50 branded online stores "Made in Russia" operate, - said Alexey Solodov.
Corporation for the Development of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) It actively helps such enterprises to integrate into production cooperation chains and enter new markets. To do this, on the SME digital platform.The Russian Federation has launched a special service "Production cooperation and sales". It publishes the needs of foreign companies, to which Russian manufacturers can respond and offer their products or services. The corporation helps companies at the stage of negotiations with a potential customer. Currently, the service has more than 10,000 product requests from more than 350 companies from 17 countries, including Russia.
"This year, with the assistance of the corporation, including through the use of the service, more than 120 transactions were concluded between Russian SMEs and foreign companies,— the corporation's press service said. — Of the total number of transactions concluded with foreign companies, about a third relate to the production of clothing and textiles, about 14% — to the production of components, the production of automotive components accounts for almost 13%, the same amount — industrial equipment, and the production of food products — about 9%.
Market players are heading for export
Leading Russian marketplaces have already demonstrated their active participation in the development of digital exports. The Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP) noted that the trend is steady.
— Exports of domestic goods through digital platforms are showing steady growth. The volume of deliveries of only one of the leading marketplaces in 2024 exceeded 200 billion rubles, the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs says.
Similar trends are observed among other players who are strengthening their international presence by investing in localization of services and personalized products for foreign customers. The result is an increase in the recognition of Russian brands and the growth of non—primary exports in Asian and Middle Eastern countries.
Clear the showcase of fakes
However, as noted in the Federal Customs Service, the rapid growth of e-commerce has revealed weaknesses.
Until recently, marketplaces acted only as intermediaries between sellers and buyers, effectively absolving themselves of responsibility for counterfeiting. However, several high-profile precedents with falsifications last year demonstrated that the patience of foreign copyright holders is running out.
Today, businesses openly declare that the digital trade market needs to be "whitewashed." There are already tools for this — certification in product cards with direct links to Rosaccreditation, mandatory labeling, as well as the provision of customs declarations in electronic form. These measures should become the basis for building a system of trust in Russian digital exports.
Without imposing other people's rules
Andrey Lubenets, Advisor to the CEO of DM Solutions, explains that Moscow's strategy is not aimed at integration into Western ecosystems, but rather seeks to rely on its own connections and neighboring markets.
— We are talking about the presence of Russian marketplaces in the markets of the CIS countries and friendly states. A marketplace is also a logistical structure for both exports and imports, and it is an instrument of influence. Therefore, it is important for Russia to be present in this way in the countries of its circle of interests," the expert notes.
He adds that the plans are not to copy the Western model, but to build our own network infrastructure for emerging markets. In this context, integration may take place not along the EU line, but along the vector of Asia, Africa and Latin America, where Russia has more political and technological room for maneuver.
Russian "traceability" as a competitive shield
Meanwhile, Russian experts consider transparency and control of the origin of goods to be the key advantage of the new digital export model.
— Russian solutions in the field of tracking counterfeit products in trade occupy a leading position in the world, — says Andrey Lubenets. — Such systems allow you to check the origin of the goods and the entire path of its movement to the buyer using the unique code of each package. This approach can also be adapted for export by connecting manufacturers and logistics companies to the goods registration system.
Alexander Daniltsev, Director of the HSE Institute of Trade Policy, speaks with a similar position, emphasizing the technological maturity of Russian supply chain control tools.
— The advantage of Russian suppliers is a very effective traceability system, especially for food. The Russian system is more stable than the European one, and it is advisable to present this as a competitive advantage. Harmonization with international rules is important, but it should not create dependencies," notes Alexander Daniltsev.
The expert also believes that the main barrier remains not legislation, but the dominance of the world's largest platforms, which limit the space for new participants.
Change of strategy: not to catch up, but to bypass
Industry analysts see the government's order not as an attempt to "catch up" with the world's leading platforms, but as a desire to develop their own model of presence in digital commerce.
Nadezhda Moskovkina, Senior Manager of the Wholesale and Retail Trade Department at Rexoft, notes that the initiative to create a digital export roadmap reflects Russia's transition to a model of selective rather than mass participation in the global market.
— Its rational core is to avoid direct competition with technology and trading giants. Instead, it is proposed to develop niches where Russia has sustainable advantages, from environmentally friendly products to specialized solutions. Platforms in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East like Lazada, Jumia, and Noon are promising,— says Nadezhda Moskovkina.
In addition, according to the expert, the formation of a single national B2B showcase under the brand of trust could significantly increase the status of Russian suppliers, providing guarantees of the origin of goods and protection against counterfeiting.
Force the course: a vector until 2036
According to Mikhail Mishustin's instructions, all key decisions should be approved in early 2026, and the roadmap itself will become part of the digital development strategy until 2035. The document links export tasks with the expansion of domestic production capacities, localization of radio electronics and strengthening cybersecurity.
In this context, digital commerce is no longer just a sphere of consumption.: It is becoming a factor in national production policy.
"The origin of products plays a key role in the export process," market insiders say. — When importing, there are issues of customs clearance and protection against counterfeiting, and combining these flows into a single system is an ambiguous solution, but strategically correct.
Izvestia sent requests to the FSTEC, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Finance and other organizations responsible for the program, but no responses had been received at the time of publication.
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