In 2023, Russian authorities seized roughly 4,000 gray SIM cards, a figure that marks a decrease of about 18.5 times from the previous year, according to Roskomnadzor data cited by Izvestia. The overall drop signals a tightening of controls and intensified monitoring of the telecom sector. Of the seized cards in 2023, approximately 1,200 belonged to Megafon, around 1,000 to Tele2, and 800 to both Beeline and MTS each. A minority share, roughly 90 IDs, were identified as belonging to other operators. The city with the largest confiscations was Saint Petersburg, where 763 gray SIM cards were taken, followed by the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug (Yugra) with 712 units, and the Krasnoyarsk Territory with 642 units. The 811 activity, a joint operation by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Roskomnadzor, drove these results in 2023.
Izvestia reported that the ministry issued 317 administrative violation notices as a consequence of these seizures, with the total fines accumulating to about 1.29 million rubles. In 2024, collaborative efforts between Roskomnadzor and the Ministry of Internal Affairs continued, yielding 126 joint events and leading to the confiscation of 232 gray SIM cards to date. The persistence of the gray SIM card market in Russia is attributed to two main drivers, as noted by the publication. First, there exists ongoing demand from individuals seeking anonymity for various reasons. Second, some telecom market participants are suspected of inflating reported performance by utilizing gray SIM cards, a practice that distorts official statistics.
Analysts also highlighted concerns about potential price movements in related equipment. Based on discussions up to April 1, 2024, experts suggested that equipment prices in Russia could rise by about 20 percent, a trend that may influence consumer and enterprise purchasing strategies as the market adapts to regulatory changes and enforcement actions. This context illustrates how regulatory actions interact with market dynamics, shaping both user behavior and corporate reporting practices in the telecom sector. [Source attribution: Izvestia with Roskomnadzor data; official agency releases and ministry statements summarized for context]