Russian Retailers Circumvent Apple's Export Ban with New iPhone Pre-Sales

Russian retailers, including M.Video-Eldorado and MTS, have begun pre-sales of the new iPhone 16 despite Apple's export ban to Russia. Prices in Russia are significantly higher than in the U.S., following a parallel import scheme. Apple's sales and services in Russia were halted due to sanctions imposed after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.


Devdiscourse News Desk | Moscow | Updated: 19-09-2024 14:18 IST | Created: 19-09-2024 14:18 IST
Russian Retailers Circumvent Apple's Export Ban with New iPhone Pre-Sales
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  • Russia

Russian retailers have launched pre-sales of Apple's latest iPhone, allowing consumers in the country to pre-order these devices despite an export ban. M.Video-Eldorado and mobile network operator MTS were the first to announce the pre-sale of the iPhone 16, priced considerably higher than in the United States.

Phone deliveries through M.Video are expected to begin next week, while MTS plans to commence physical sales shortly. Apple had paused its product sales and services in Russia following the invasion of Ukraine in March 2022, as part of Western-imposed sanctions.

The new iPhones are being routed through countries that haven't imposed sanctions on Russia, such as Turkey and China, due to the parallel import scheme sanctioned by the Russian government. This method continues to present challenges for companies trying to exit the Russian market.

(With inputs from agencies.)

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