Moscow switches from Outlook to Russian email system

The city of Moscow is going to replace Microsoft software with homegrown software. The city is doing this in response to Vladimir Putin’s call to be less dependent on foreign technology.

Initially, the city will begin replacing Exchange Server and Outlook on 6,000 computers. Microsoft’s systems will be replaced by an undisclosed email system that will be installed by provider Rostelecom PJSC. The new software was developed by New Cloud Technologies and may be installed on more than 600,000 computers and servers, Bloomberg writes following a press conference given by Moscow City’s head of information technology, Artem Yermolaev. Windows and Office may also be replaced by Russian software.

Putin has been working for some time to get companies and institutions within Russia to use as much Russian software as possible, because there are doubts about the security of software from American companies. In 2014, Putin signed a law requiring internet companies to store Russian data within Russia.

Communications Minister Nikolay Nikiforov reported that the aim is to make taxpayers pay for local software. He also said the federal competition watchdog will increase its grip on state institutions that do not want to switch to domestic alternatives.

Figures from the Russian state show that about 20 billion rubles a year is spent on foreign software, about 280 million euros. The Ministry of Information has published a list of nearly 2,000 Russian software products to be used by state-owned enterprises.