Technological Dependence on Imports and the Prospects of Import Substitution in the Russian Industry

Olga Berezinskaya – Research fellow of the Center of Structural Research, Institute for Applied Economic Studies, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration; Research fellow of the Department for Financial Studies of the Gaidar Institute. Е-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Dina Shchelokova – Research fellow of the Center of Structural Research, Institute for Applied Economic Studies, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration. Е-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

In 2014–2016, amid weakening of the national currency and foreign trade limitations due to sanctions the technological dependence of the Russian industry on imports diminished. Such a decrease in it took place on the back of constriction of demand in the economy and an underlying slump in the output of industries which were earlier largely dependent on imports. However, industries which highly succeeded in the past few years in import substitution – an important driver of Russia’s economic growth in the situation of tough foreign trade restrictions – markedly stand out.

Key words: technological dependence on imports, share of imports in industries’ costs, manufacturing, import substitution.