According to Ukrinform, this is evidenced by customs data reviewed by Reuters.

While Acer’s actions are not illegal, it differs from its main Western competitors such as Dell and HP, which halted supplies in February and April last year following Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Trade-trade data shows that equipment manufactured by Acer is supplied to Russia through both Acer’s Swiss-registered subsidiary and a series of delivery services commissioned by that subsidiary.

Because sales were made outside of Taiwan, such transactions did not violate Taipei’s sanctions against Russia and did not include goods whose exports were restricted by Switzerland’s anti-Russian sanctions, reflecting European Union sanctions.

At the same time, Reuters notes that on April 8 last year, the company said: “Due to recent events (Russian invasion of Ukraine – ed.), Acer has decided to suspend its business in Russia.”

“Acer strictly adheres to established international norms and commercial requirements for export to Russia,” said the company’s head office in Taiwan, answering the question about the continuation of exports to the Russian Federation through its Swiss subsidiary, Acer Sales International SA.

The response also states that the Swiss subsidiary “has not supplied any laptops or desktop computers to Russia since April 8 last year”, but “supplied a limited number of displays and accessories to the Russian market for domestic civilian use in accordance with international legislation”. sanctions.”

Acer did not explain why it continued to ship its products to Russia, despite announcing that it was suspending its business.

A Reuters interlocutor familiar with the details of the deliveries said that Acer products, including PC monitors and laptops, continue to be delivered to Russia beyond April 2022.

At the same time, the publication noted that it could not identify where some Acer products still available for sale in Russia came from and when they arrived in the country.

Switzerland’s EU-compliant sanctions allowed the export of laptops and computer components to Russia until December 16, 2022. After this date, Acer did not supply prohibited goods from Switzerland to Russia.

The company told Reuters that importers in Russia may be purchasing Acer products from third countries, and Acer’s Russia unit replied that “nothing has changed” since the April 2022 announcement.

Acer accounted for 18.5% of all PCs sold in Russia in the fourth quarter of 2021, while HP and Dell accounted for 20.8%, according to consulting firm IDC Russia.

As reported by Ukrinform, President Volodymyr Zelenskyi does not rule out the possibility of going public to prevent the Russian Federation from circumventing sanctions with the help of other countries.