Russian Server Market: High Prices, New Risks

Since October of last year, server prices in Russia have more than doubled on average, while prices for cloud services rose by only 10–15% during the same period. Oleg Lyubimov, CEO of the cloud provider Selectel, calculated in early October that renting computing capacity is currently cheaper than operating one’s own servers. That same week saw the first Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian data centers. Market analysts predict that companies that have previously outsourced their computing power to such centers may switch back to their own servers in the future.

In 2024, according to the electronics manufacturers’ association ARPE, server sales in Russia fell for the second consecutive year, dropping 15% to 148,000 units, while revenue rose 1.4% to $1.78 billion. Yadro, one of the largest domestic server manufacturers, estimates last year’s sales at around 135,000–145,000 units, which was slightly below the previous year’s level. In terms of revenue, Yadro reports a decline of 5–10% compared to 2024, to 150 billion rubles (1.6 billion euros) net or 180 billion rubles (1.9 billion euros) including VAT. According to the electronics manufacturer Fplus, which also offers servers, sales in 2025 remained stable at 140,000–150,000 units, while revenue rose by 30% to 180 billion rubles (1.9 billion euros). In early August, the company projected stagnant revenue for 2026 and a 5–10% decline in server sales compared to the previous year.

According to the U.S. market research firm IDC, the global server market grew by more than 80% in 2025 to a record $444 billion. In the second quarter of 2026, servers designed for AI applications were on average 44% more expensive, and conventional servers were one-third more expensive than a year earlier. In Russia, according to Yadro, the price of a typical server in government tenders rose by about 25% in the first half of 2026 to an average of 2.5 million rubles (26,700 euros) net. Industry representatives estimate that approximately 80% of the price increase is attributable to RAM and SSD drives. According to Ljubimov, servers for large AI models cost more than $1 million in Russia—roughly twice as much as in the U.S.—partly because the U.S. chipmaker Nvidia has been exercising stricter control over shipments since mid-2026. The system integrator Jet Infosystems estimates that the price increase for Russian servers so far this year is around 35%. According to the company, manufacturers recommend factoring in a further 40% price increase for procurements in 2027.

In addition to component prices, longer delivery times are also driving up costs. According to the Russian IT service provider T1, these times more than doubled in the first half of the year, from 10 to 24 weeks. Distributors are factoring in higher shipping rates, complicated cross-border payments, and the risk of contractual penalties for late delivery. According to Fplus, placing a large order with delivery by the end of the year is currently out of the question.

The Moscow-based industry portal ComNews also expects that restrictions on parallel imports, in effect since the end of May 2026, will likely cause prices to rise further. At the same time, computer systems and storage devices from 22 brands—including HPE, IBM, Cisco, and Intel—were removed from the list of goods that had been permitted for import since 2022 without the rights holder’s consent. This is not an import ban, but rather a return to the pre-2022 rules, clarifies lawyer Alexander Malyutin on the IT platform Habr. Without the consent of foreign manufacturers, lawsuits could be filed, and customs could also hold up shipments. Such risks are likely to result in higher prices, according to Malyutin. In 2024, foreign servers were still up to 30% cheaper than comparable Russian devices, the business newspaper Kommersant reported at the time.

Domestic manufacturers, in particular, had repeatedly pushed for restrictions on foreign competition. The Ministry of Industry recognizes a server as domestic if a sufficient number of manufacturing steps take place within the country and a minimum percentage of the components originate there. High-tech components such as processors, RAM, and controllers continue to be imported, while Russia primarily manufactures the casings and handles the assembly. Although Russia has its own processors—Elbrus and Baikal—the country lacks the manufacturing capacity to produce them. According to ARPE, the market share of Russian manufacturers stood at 43% in 2024, up from 41.3% the previous year. Since 2021, government contracting authorities have been required to reject bids involving imported servers as soon as a bid from a Russian manufacturer is available. According to Fplus, government contracts account for about 65% of the market.

Following the attacks on data centers, interest in decentralized infrastructure is growing, reports the Russian company Netwell, which offers data center technology as well as so-called container data centers. The company states that demand for such mobile modules rose by at least 50% in October compared to the first half of 2026. The containers are ready for use in just a few months, whereas building a data center takes several years. Sergei Kudryashov, a digital expert at the Moscow-based consulting firm Strategy Partners, also expects a trend toward decentralization. Large data centers emerged for economic reasons, as they enabled cost savings. The more fragmented the infrastructure becomes, the higher the costs, according to Kudryashov.

Sources: ComNews 1, 2, Kommersant 1, 2, 3, Vedomosti, CNews 1, 2, 3, IT-World, Habr (all RU), connect professional, StorageReview

Source: German-Russian Chamber of Foreign Trade, Russian Server Market: High Prices, New Risks, October 20, 2026.

This article was prepared for the German-Russian Chamber of Foreign Trade.