The Russian government has issued a decree that effectively renders Russian patents worthless for many applicants from outside of Russia.
The decree, issued March 5, 2022, states that for Russian patents owned by entities from the U.S., the European Union, and other "unfriendly countries", the patent holder will be entitled to "0%" compensation for infringement.
To date, the Russian government has not altered intellectual property protections for trademarks or copyrights. However, Russia's Ministry of Economic Development is reported to be considering lifting restrictions on unauthorized use of non-Russian-owned copyrights and trademarks for certain goods, such as software.
The list of 47 "unfriendly countries" includes Albania, Andorra, Anguilla, Australia, British Virgin Islands, Canada, European Union member states, Gibraltar, Great Britain, Iceland, Japan, Liechtenstein, Micronesia, Monaco, Montenegro, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, San Marino, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, Ukraine, and the United States.
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