Exovera’s report, Vekselberg and Skolkovo Foundation Empower Zyfra to Supply AI Products to Russia’s Military Industrial Base, examines how Zyfra—Russia’s leading developer of AI-enabled industrial internet of things products—has become deeply integrated into both state and defense-linked industries. Founded in 2017 under the oligarch Viktor Vekselberg’s Renova Group, Zyfra has leveraged ties to Russia’s “Silicon Valley” Skolkovo Foundation and international connections, particularly through Finland’s AII Corporation OY, to expand operations despite U.S. sanctions. The company’s partnerships with Skolkovo-backed initiatives, acquisitions of resident firms, and joint projects with entities like Moscow State Technical University and Rosseti demonstrate its positioning as a “national champion” for Russia’s AI sector.
The report details Zyfra’s provision of AI-enabled predictive analysis tools, including its ZIIoT+AI platform, to the Salyut Machine Building Plant of United Engine Corporation for production of the AI-222-25 engine used in Russian military aircraft. Zyfra’s earlier products, such as MDCPlus and Dispatcher, have also been deployed in the military industrial base, alongside projects supporting Gazprom and other energy giants. While sanctions restrict Zyfra’s direct international activity, its Finnish connections and state backing may allow it to sustain exports and evade some restrictions.
