According to Yandex.Market research, Xiaomi has become the most popular smartphone brand in Russia over the past four years. The Yandex.Market study analyzed click data from online store users between January 1, 2010, and October 18, 2020. Experts note that the past decade reflects a 'evolution' of brands in the mobile phone market: Nokia led in 2010, but was soon overtaken by Samsung and Apple; however, in 2016, Xiaomi—having entered the Russian market—surpassed both Samsung and Apple. According to Yandex.Market data, this year 28% of Russians consider Xiaomi first when purchasing a smartphone, compared to 22% for Samsung and 19% for Apple.
Other Research Findings
(1) Over 90% of Foreign Companies View Russia as a Strategic Market
Ahead of the meeting of the Council for Foreign Investment in Russia, Ernst & Young (EY) released its report titled 'International Business in Russia'. The report indicates that approximately 92% of foreign companies regard Russia as a strategic market, and more than half plan to expand their operations there. Conducted between August and September 2020, the study involved 62 international companies—including 49 members of the Council for Foreign Investment in Russia—spanning all economic sectors. Participating companies reported an average revenue of $1.1 billion and an average workforce of 3,100 employees in 2019. Survey results show that 92% of respondents consider Russia one of their strategic markets; the COVID-19 pandemic, commodity price volatility, and macroeconomic instability have not significantly impacted their operations in Russia. Ilya Ivlev, EY’s Executive Partner for CIS, stated that the proportion of companies viewing Russia as a strategic market has remained consistently high—and has even risen slightly compared to last year.
(2) Russia Ranks Second Globally in Service Robot Production
Data from the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) for 2019 shows that Russia ranks second globally in the number of service robot manufacturers—surpassing both Japan and China. According to IFR data, the United States leads with 223 service robot manufacturers, followed by Russia with 73, Germany (69), China (64), France (52), and Japan (50). Oleg Kivokurcev, Development Director at Russia’s Promobot company, told Sputnik News: 'Since the service robot market is still emerging—and no universal design or functionality has yet been established—Japanese and Chinese enterprises are currently observing developments. I believe that once a robot emerges that gains broad-market acceptance, these countries will rapidly introduce their own solutions and catch up.'
Last updated: 2026-03-08