Ericsson, the Swedish telecommunications equipment maker, has announced a move tied to sanctions that will see its customer support operations in Russia transferred to Sonerik LLC, a company established in November of this year. The decision appears to be a strategic step in response to ongoing regulatory constraints while preserving some continuity for customers in the region.
Reportedly, Sonerik was founded by individuals linked to Ericsson’s Russian division and to MTS, the major Russian telecom carrier. Among the founders are long-time staff from Ericsson Russia and former senior executives from MTS, reflecting a blend of expertise from both sides of the market.
Publicly available information names as major shareholders in Sonerik two former MTS leaders, Andrey Dubovskov and Andrey Smelkov, each owning a quarter stake. A third early investor, Natalia Korchemkina, who spent nearly a quarter century in Ericsson’s Russia office, joined as a founder-shareholder. These connections underscore the transitional nature of the entity involved in managing customer support functions during the sanctions period.
Industry observers from the Russian telecommunications sector have offered differing interpretations of the move. A representative from the local telecom community characterizes the arrangement as a technical measure designed to enable Ericsson to disengage temporarily from the Russian market and potentially reengage in the future. In contrast, Konstantin Ankilov, managing director of TMT Consulting LLC, suggests the action signals Ericsson’s intention not to return to Russia.
Ericsson’s publicly stated course indicates a transfer of the customer support business in Russia to a local government-aligned entity, aligning with the company’s broader compliance and risk management practices in light of the sanctions landscape. Analysts and stakeholders continue to monitor whether this shift preserves service quality for Russian customers while satisfying international regulatory requirements, and what it means for the long-term posture of Ericsson in the Russian market. Reuters reports that the move is framed as a controlled exit with continuity options rather than a permanent withdrawal. Industry experts emphasize that the arrangement could evolve as sanctions evolve and as market conditions change.