Russia's official imports of Intel and AMD processors fell sharply in 2024, with government customs data showing a 95% drop in Intel CPU shipments and an 81% decline for AMD compared to 2023. According to the Federal Customs Service (FCS), total imports of the two brands reached just 37,000 units—down from 537,000 the year before—with the combined value plummeting from 6.3 billion rubles to 439 million.

The drop follows successive rounds of U.S. sanctions and export controls imposed since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Despite these efforts, however, industry insiders say the figures don't reflect reality. Major Russian IT firms report stable processor supplies and even rising orders, highlighting a wide disconnect between official trade records and actual market activity.

Companies such as Lotos Group and Rikor claim to have increased procurement of x86 processors significantly in 2024. Rikor alone reported purchasing over 120,000 units—about 30% more than in 2023. Intel chips continue to dominate demand, and pricing for mainstream models has remained relatively stable, executives say.

Industry figures attribute the discrepancy to how shipments are declared. CPUs are frequently bundled with other hardware or rerouted through third countries, such as Hong Kong, Malaysia, and India, to bypass sanctions. These indirect channels often obscure the origin and nature of the products in customs records.

Artur Timerbulatov, business development director at a local IT supplier, told Kommersant that processor availability remains strong and that the FCS data "does not reflect the real situation." He and others warned of a potential 10–12% price increase in 2025 due to inflation and trade tensions between the U.S. and China, but downplayed any threat of major supply disruptions.

Experts note that the persistence of black market routes and weak enforcement mechanisms—many of which rely on outdated systems and voluntary compliance—have limited the effectiveness of U.S. sanctions. For now, Russia's domestic manufacturers appear to be securing the chips they need, even as official statistics tell a different story.