The processor developer MCST has resumed deliveries of Elbrus-2S3 and Elbrus-16S processors to Russia. According to CNews sources in the microelectronics market, production has been established in a friendly state, with volumes reaching thousands of units for the flagship Elbrus-16S and dozens for the smaller Elbrus-2S3. The company itself does not comment on this information.
Both models are manufactured using a 16-nanometer process and are based on the proprietary "Elbrus" architecture. The Elbrus-16S is a 16-core chip for high-performance servers and workstations, while the Elbrus-2S3 is a dual-core processor for laptops, industrial automation, and embedded solutions. Deliveries were halted in 2022 after production ceased at Taiwan's TSMC.
The resumption of supplies removes a key barrier for the public sector. As Stanislav Poplavsky, Director of Strategic Development at Fplus, explained, previously the regulator could not stimulate purchases of Russian electronics precisely due to uncertainty regarding volumes. Currently, about 97% of equipment in government agencies runs on Intel and another 2% on AMD – with the appearance of available "Elbrus" processors, this ratio may begin to change. The most stable demand is expected in the field of critical information infrastructure, where independence from foreign technologies is a priority.
The situation was exacerbated by the disruption of the state defense order: in 2024, the Ministry of Industry and Trade introduced external management at MCST precisely due to the lack of new processor batches. Now, with the return of manageability in this sensitive segment, developers once again have a reference platform for designing motherboards, porting operating systems, and supporting devices.
Read more on the topic:
- Russian Microelectronics: The Structure of the Domestic Chip Market Worth Billions of Rubles
- The processor developer MCST has changed its CEO after rumors of missed state defense order deadlines