Kremlin Condemns Kaspersky Software Sales Ban In US As Unfair Competition

Kaspersky is banned in the US (photo: x @kaspersky)

JAKARTA - The Kremlin on Friday, June 21, condemned the United States' decision to ban the sale of Kaspersky software as Washington's signature measure to suppress foreign competition with American products.

President Joe Biden's administration on Thursday, June 20 announced it would ban the sale of Russian Kaspersky Lab-made antiviral software in the United States, citing the Kremlin's influence on the company that poses significant security risks.

When announcing the ban, US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo told reporters that "Russia has shown capacity and... intends to exploit Russian companies such as Kaspersky to collect and utilize American personal information."

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Kaspersky was a "very competitive" company on the international market and that Washington's decision to limit its sales was "the favorite technique of unfair competition from the United States."

Kaspersky, which has said it will seek legal options to try to maintain its operations, believes that the US decision is not based on "comprehensive evaluation of Kaspersky's product integrity and services" and that its activities do not threaten US national security.

The company said it was managed privately and had no ties to the Russian government.