Russia’s Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) is ramping up efforts to combat anti-competitive collusion in government contracts, citing digitalization as a key weapon in identifying and prosecuting cartel behavior across the country.
The Federal Antimonopoly Service of Russia (FAS) is intensifying its fight against cartels in public procurement by embracing digital solutions, including advanced monitoring systems and data analytics. Speaking at a procurement-focused session during the IV All-Russian Procurement Conference, senior officials highlighted the growing role of digital tools in improving enforcement efficiency.
Oleg Dubkov, Head of Anti‑Cartel and Closed Procurement Control Department of the FAS, noted that the agency’s top priorities include overseeing digital markets, developing the nationwide “Anti-Cartel” information system, and expanding its digital toolkit.
In the first nine months of 2025, FAS launched 246 cartel investigations tied to contracts totaling 159 billion rubles (approx. $1.6 billion USD). Anti-competitive agreements were uncovered in all 89 Russian regions, implicating 157 contracting authorities and 541 business entities. The agency issued 135 rulings confirming violations of antitrust laws.
With the moratorium on inspections lifted, enforcement is expected to accelerate. Since January, FAS’s central office has conducted 29 in-depth anti-cartel audits.
Anton Teslenko, Head of FAS’s Control and Financial Department, emphasized that as of January 2024, public purchasers are legally required to inform bidders about potential administrative and criminal liability for collusion. Administrative fines handed down this year have already reached 881 million rubles ($9 million), while fines in 2024 totaled over 1 billion rubles.
Teslenko also pointed to a rising number of criminal investigations linked to antitrust violations, suggesting a stronger interagency approach to tackling procurement-related fraud.
Source: FAS
