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Russia’s Association of Internet Trade Companies has asked the government for emergency rules to protect retailers from penalties when outages in state information systems prevent timely data transfers. Its proposal also calls for backup transmission methods and temporary permission to store and process personal data in “friendly” countries. Government ministries say the letter will be reviewed; no policy change has been announced.
Russia’s Association of Internet Trade Companies, known as AKIT, has asked the government to create emergency rules for retailers when outages in state information systems disrupt required data transfers. In a letter to Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, the group also proposed backup transmission methods and temporary permission to store and process personal data in “friendly” countries, a change to Russia’s current domestic-storage requirement.
According to the Russian business daily Kommersant, AKIT’s letter proposes allowing retailers to record data they cannot send on time and transmit it after the relevant infrastructure is restored. It also seeks alternative ways to transfer data and says sellers should not face penalties for missed deadlines while an emergency regime is in force. The letter concerns mass outages in state information systems, referred to in Russia as GIS.
AKIT drafted its request after Ukrainian drones struck data centers belonging to Yandex and Sberbank. The association said those attacks did not cause major disruptions in retail at the time. Its case for special rules is framed around preparing for a possible force majeure, rather than a claim that the strikes had already caused widespread retail failures.
The Russian Union of Food Producers, known as Rusprodsoyuz, told Kommersant that isolated outages had occurred, forcing some companies to stop operations and use paper records. AKIT’s letter also contains other proposals, but the association did not disclose them, according to the report. The Economy Ministry and Finance Ministry said the request “will be reviewed in accordance with the established procedure.”
Retailers Seek Protection From Data Delays
The proposal addresses the risk that businesses could be held responsible for reporting or transfer deadlines even when the systems needed to meet them are unavailable. If adopted, a formal emergency regime could set out what retailers should record during an outage, how they can submit information later, and whether penalties would apply. Those rules could affect how online sellers and other businesses maintain operations during disruptions.
The request also raises a separate question about where Russians’ personal data may be stored and processed. AKIT is asking for temporary access to “friendly” countries as a backup option. That would require a policy change: the current rule, as described in the report, requires personal data to be processed and stored inside Russia. The letter is a proposal, not evidence that officials have agreed to relax that requirement.
For consumers, outages may be felt through interruptions to retail operations rather than through the regulatory process itself. The account of companies switching to paper records points to practical disruption, but the available reporting does not establish how many businesses were affected or how long those interruptions lasted. The government’s response and any eventual rules will determine whether the request results in a change to business obligations.
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Data Center Strikes Prompt Request
The immediate trigger for AKIT’s letter was the reported drone strikes on Yandex and Sberbank data centers. AKIT said the attacks did not produce major retail disruption, but argued for preparations in case a future outage affects state information systems. That distinction matters: the proposal is preventive, while Rusprodsoyuz separately described some isolated interruptions.
Russia’s existing rules require personal data to remain within the country for storage and processing, according to the source report. AKIT’s suggested allowance for temporary use of “friendly” countries would change how companies could handle that data during a disruption. The report does not specify which countries would qualify, which data or businesses would be covered, or how long a temporary permission might last.
“The attacks did not cause major disruptions in retail at the time.”
— AKIT, according to Kommersant’s account of the letter
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Scope of Any Emergency Rules
No decision has been announced on whether the government will adopt AKIT’s proposals. The ministries’ response confirms review only; it does not establish an approval timetable, a planned regulatory change, or agreement on the requested exemptions.
Key details are also absent from the reported proposal. It is not clear how an outage would be declared, which state systems or retailers would qualify, how long an emergency regime could last, or what proof businesses would need to avoid penalties. The report also does not explain what AKIT means by “friendly” countries, which personal data could be handled abroad, or what safeguards would apply. The scale and duration of the isolated outages cited by Rusprodsoyuz are not given.
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Ministries to Review AKIT Letter
The Economy Ministry and Finance Ministry have said they will review the letter through the established procedure. The next confirmed development would be a government response or a published policy decision; neither is described in the report. Until then, the proposed emergency regime and overseas data-storage allowance remain requests, and the existing domestic-storage rule remains in place as described by the source.
Any later decision may clarify whether the government will address delayed data transfers, alternate transmission channels, penalties, or temporary cross-border data handling. The letter’s undisclosed proposals may also remain unknown unless AKIT or officials release further details.
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Key Questions
What has AKIT asked the Russian government to do?
AKIT has proposed emergency rules for retailers during mass outages in state information systems. Its requests include letting sellers record data for later transmission, using backup transfer methods, and avoiding penalties for missed deadlines during an emergency regime.
Why did retailers make the request?
AKIT drafted the letter after Ukrainian drones struck data centers belonging to Yandex and Sberbank. The association said the attacks did not cause major retail disruption, but argued that rules should be ready for a future force majeure. Rusprodsoyuz reported isolated outages affecting some companies.
Would the proposal allow Russian personal data to be stored abroad?
AKIT has asked for temporary permission to store and process Russians’ personal data in “friendly” countries. This is a proposal only. The report says the current rule requires personal data to be processed and stored inside Russia.
Has the government approved the requests?
No. The Economy Ministry and Finance Ministry told Kommersant that the letter would be reviewed under the established procedure. They did not announce approval or a timetable for a decision.
Source: rss
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