In 2017, the Russian State Commission for Radio Frequencies issued a decision requiring telecommunications operators seeking to rent capacity from a foreign satellite operator to demonstrate that Russian satellite providers do not have such capacity.

Russia has appended the World Trade Organization (WTO) Telecom Reference Paper to its schedule of commitments.

Russia has a national telecommunications regulator, the Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology, and the Mass Media (Roskomnadzor). Nonetheless, available reporting suggests that its decision-making autonomy is constrained. Roskomnadzor is institutionally subordinate to the Ministry of Digital Development, Communications, and Mass Media, a relationship that significantly limits its independence from executive authority.

Art. 18.5 of Federal Law No. 152-FZ provides that during personal data collection, including through the Internet, the data operator shall ensure that databases located within the Russian Federation are used to record, systematise, accumulate, store, update, modify and retrieve personal data of Russian citizens. However, the requirements do not apply to companies that do not receive the data directly from either data subjects or such third parties or inadvertently in the course of normal business activity. Moreover, provided that personal data, when initially collected, is placed in a primary database located and maintained in Russia, personal data contained in the database may then be transferred abroad and placed in other secondary databases, provided the requirements for data transfers are complied with. As a result, once personal data is collected, it shall be placed in the database located in Russia (i.e., the primary database). All mentioned operations on the data should be carried out locally. Afterwards, the data can be transferred abroad for further processing (i.e., to the secondary database).
It is reported that since 2015, the Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology, and Mass Media (Roskomnadzor) has been active in enforcing the above-mentioned measure. For instance, in November 2016, subject to the claim from Roskomnadzor, the court in Moscow restricted access to the LinkedIn social network due to the breach of the measure. Further cases mostly included administrative fines, which were also issued to major multinational companies, including Meta Platforms, Inc. (formerly Facebook, Inc.), Twitter, Inc. and later WhatsApp LLC, Google LLC, Airbnb, Inc., Apple, Inc., Twitch Interactive, Inc., United Parcel Service, Inc., Pinterest, Inc., Likeme Pte. Ltd., Ookla, LLC., Snap Inc., Match Group, LLC, Hotels.com, L.P., Spotify AB, and Zoom Video Communications, Inc. Some companies also faced repeated higher fines.
The Code of Administrative Offences establishes fines of up to RUB 6 million (approx. USD 64,620) for the first offence and up to RUB 18 million (approx. USD 193,860) for the subsequent offence.

According to Art. 1247 of the Civil Code, foreign legal entities shall carry out their dealings with the federal executive power body charged with intellectual property matters, meaning Federal Service for Intellectual Property (Rospatent) through patent attorneys registered with Rospatent, unless otherwise envisaged by an international treaty of the Russian Federation.
Previously, Art. 15 of the Patent Law of Russian Federation No. 3517-1 required individuals with permanent residence outside the Russian Federation or foreign legal entities or their patent attorneys shall deal with the Federal executive authority on intellectual property through patent attorneys, registered with the Federal executive authority on intellectual property. This Article was replaced on 1 January 2008 by Part IV of the Civil Code.

The Russian government has adopted a decree that will allow local companies and individuals to use inventions, utility models, and industrial designs held by owners from “unfriendly countries” without their consent and without paying any compensation. This includes, among others, all members of the European Union and the United States.
The decree is based on art. 1360 of the Russian Civil Code, which allows the government to use inventions, utility models and industrial designs without the consent of the patent holder when extreme needs of national defence and security or protection of life or public health justify this.

Russia is a party to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT). However, the country does not consider itself bound by Art. 59 related to disputes.

The country has a copyright regime under Part IV of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation and Federal Law No. 231-FZ "On the enactment of Part IV of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation". However, the exceptions do not follow the fair use or fair dealing model, therefore limiting the lawful use of copyrighted work by others. Art. 1273 allows the reproduction of a lawfully disclosed work when necessary and for purely personal purposes, without paying royalties and getting the consent of the author of the work except for architectural works, databases and computer programs, among others. The rest of the provisions in the above/mentioned articles (Arts. 1274-1280) allow, subject to the terms and conditions laid down therein:
- use of copyrighted works for informational, scientific, educational and cultural purposes;
- use of copyrighted photographic works, works of architecture and works of art which are permanently located at a place freely available to the public;
- use of musical works in the official or religious ceremonies;
- use of copyrighted works for the purposes of law enforcement;
- recording of copyrighted works by broadcasting organisations for short-term usage;
- make changes to software and databases for the purposes of functioning; archive the copy of software and database and decompile the software.

It is reported that inadequate and ineffective copyright protection, including in the context of online piracy, constitutes a serious and persistent problem, harming markets for legitimate content both within Russia and internationally. Online piracy is said to flourish as a result of insufficient enforcement of anti‑piracy laws by the authorities. Russia continues to host a number of platforms that enable or facilitate copyright infringement, with stakeholders indicating extensive unauthorised use of video games, music, films, books, academic publications, and television programming. Particular concern is expressed about the spread of mirror sites replicating infringing services and mobile applications that support illicit distribution. Reports further suggest that stronger action is required against rogue online platforms targeting audiences beyond Russia’s borders, alongside systematic investigation and prosecution of operators behind large‑scale commercial piracy, including software distribution. In addition, several prominent Russian online platforms reportedly maintain access to extensive catalogues of pirated films and television series. Russia is also frequently identified as one of the most challenging jurisdictions worldwide in relation to video game piracy.

Russia has adopted the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Copyright Treaty.

Russia has adopted the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Performances and Phonograms Treaty.

Federal Law No. 374 allows Russian security services to request that internet companies hand over their encryption keys. Firms who do not comply with these orders risk having their services blocked in the country, as happened to the messaging app Telegram, which remained blocked in Russia for approximately 2 years. Other messaging apps, such as Zello, BlackBerry Messenger, Imo, Line, and Vchat, were blocked for the same reason.

Government Resolution No. 925, adopted on 16 September 2016, applies broadly to all goods, works, and services, introducing a 15% price preference for domestically produced products. Alternatively, it imposes a 15% price reduction on foreign products during tendering procedures. Additionally, paragraph 8 of Resolution No. 925 stipulates that priority must be determined in compliance with the provisions of GATT 1994 and the EAEU Treaty.

Russia is not a party to the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA). However, the country has been an observer of the WTO GPA since 2013.

Under Art. 2 of Federal Law No. 57, foreign states, international organisations, and entities under their control — including those established in Russia — are prohibited from entering into transactions that would grant them a majority interest in business entities deemed strategically important for national defence and state security. Consequently, foreign state-controlled investors are restricted from acquiring more than 50% of shares or majority voting rights in such companies.
According to Art. 6 of the law business strategically important for national defence and state security include those involved in the development and production of encryption tools, maintenance of cryptographic systems, and provision of encryption services, as well as activities such as detecting covert information-gathering devices.