Samsung Electronics Resumes Marketing Activities in Russia

According to the Russian local media Kommersant, Samsung Electronics, which had suspended factory operations and product shipments in Russia following the Ukraine crisis, has recently resumed marketing activities in Russia.

On the 25th, Yonhap News and Kommersant reported that Samsung Electronics' marketing activities in Russia from January to February this year increased by 30% compared to the same period last year. Additionally, the number of Samsung Electronics' advertisements during this period rose by 10% compared to November to December last year. This is based on an analysis and citation of data from the information analysis agency Telecom Daily.

Denis Kuskov, CEO of Telecom Daily, stated that Samsung Electronics is conducting advertising activities through the telecom operator MTS, and that all of the company's new products appear in Russia a few days earlier than in Europe or the United States.

Russian media are paying attention to this trend amid observations that Western companies that withdrew from the Russian market are seeking to return following the start of peace negotiations between the United States and Russia over Ukraine.

Yonhap News

Kommersant explained that foreign home appliance companies that had scaled back their Russian operations began resuming marketing activities in Russia since last spring, and Samsung Electronics joined this trend relatively late compared to other companies.

However, Samsung Electronics did not respond to requests for comments on this trend and told Kommersant that "exports to Russia remain suspended and no decision has been made regarding the resumption of business in Russia."

Samsung Electronics completed a factory near Kaluga, close to Moscow, in 2008, producing TVs, refrigerators, and washing machines, but suspended factory operations in March 2022 due to parts supply issues following Western sanctions triggered by Russia's 'special military operation' in Ukraine in February 2022.

Samsung Electronics stores in Russia are still operating, but product supply is conducted through parallel imports.

An anonymous Russian electronics supplier told Kommersant that Samsung Electronics is conducting marketing activities in Russia through partners in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries and has recently been more actively introducing programs such as discounts, installment plans, and trade-in sales.

Kommersant reported on the 18th, citing sources, that the Russian electronics distributor VVP Group plans to lease the Samsung Electronics factory in Kaluga to produce its own smartphones.

The report added that there is speculation that if Samsung Electronics returns to the Russian market, it may partially localize smartphone production at the Kaluga factory.

Last January, the media also reported that VVP Group could use the Samsung Electronics factory facilities to produce TVs and washing machines.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.