Internet in Russia and Ukraine - Part 1. General Information and Statistics

User Base

The non-US and non-English Web segments have been boosted by a growing trend towards PC penetration and cheaper Internet access in the last couple of years. The US share of the global population online, once above ninety percent, is now under a quarter, while the number of Internet users who do not speak English at all continues to grow.

The Asia-Pacific region remains a key contributor to the increase in the number of non-English speakers on the Web, but the Russian Internet, aka Runet, demonstrates the accelerated pace of development as well.

The Russian language on the Web was represented by 2.7 percent in March 2003, said Global Reach (http://www.global-reach.biz/globstats/index.php3), a consultancy that tracks non-English online populations. The share is quite minor, compared to English with its 35.2 percent. However, the growth rate of Runet is far more exciting; the Russian Internet audience has tripled over the last two years, registering a 40 percent increase annually. The February 2003 Report by SpyLOG (http://gs.spylog.ru/interesting.phtml?id=51%20) indicates that the total users who surf the Russian portion of the Internet have reached about 15 million, 60 percent of whom live in Russia and seven percent in Ukraine. Moscow and St.-Petersburg account for 53 percent of the total Internet users in Russia. Similarly, the Ukrainian Internet surveys reveal that the vast majority (70 percent) of Ukrainian users live in Kiev, Odessa, Dnepropetrovsk, Kharkov and Donetsk, according to freenet.kiev.ua and mct.kiev.ua as quoted in Kyiv Post Business March 20, 2003.

The Ukrainian user base grows as fast as its Russian counterpart. The total Internet users in Ukraine reached 2.5 million by year-end 2002, a 150 percent increase in a year, said the head of the Ukrainian State Committee for Communications and Information Technologies (http://mignews.com.ua/events/ukraine/73927.html). Independent marketers confirm the recent trends on the Ukrainian Internet, or Uanet for short. For example, eRus.ru (http://www.e-rus.ru/news/2003/03/251511_3939.shtml) quoted GfK-USM, a marketing company, as stating that the regular Internet users in Ukraine accounted for 6.4 percent of the total population (3.1 million of 48.4 million) in February 2003, and the number of the users who purchased products or services through the Internet was doubled when compared to February 2002.

Internet Access and Prices

Dial-up connection is the most common way of accessing the Internet in both Russia and Ukraine. The Ukrainian dial-up users, for example, pay $0.1 to $2.0 an hour for Internet access, depending on an ISP, time of day and availability of callback services. The monthly charge for unmetered access in Kiev currently ranges from about $4 (midnight to 9.00 a.m. with no callback support) to about $40 (24-hour access via callback service). The callback service in Kiev will save you about $0.4/hour, an additional fee charged by Ukrtelecom for connection to the local telephone line.

The broadband access is rather expensive, ranging from $40/month (IDSN, 64 K/s, 1 GB monthly data transfer) to $300/month (dedicated line, 64-128 K/s, unlimited transfer) with a set-up fee of $200 to 300, plus some hidden charges that are quite common for the local providers. Thus, only corporate clients can enjoy the privilege of broadband subscription.

What Users are Searching for?

Like Internet users worldwide, the majority of Russian and Ukrainian surfers search the Web for information. A Yandex poll (http://www.yandex.ru/polling/9.html) shows that about 24 percent searchers use the Web for easy reference and over 15 percent use it as a research tool. A further 12 percent of those polled said the Internet was a news source for them while only 14 percent preferred online entertainment services. An increase in personal consumption in Russia and Ukraine has made a positive impact on the regional Internet. Russians and Ukrainian are increasingly relying on the Internet in order to evaluate products or services before they make their final decision to buy, whether online or offline. Currently, about 1200 online shops are listed in Magazin.ru, the largest Russian e-commerce catalogue, while CNews.ru (http://www.cnews.ru/reviews/online/) reported last year that the total number of operational online shops in Runet was 500 at the beginning of 2002. The most e-shops are online outlets of bricks-and-mortar businesses, but some "pure" online stores have opened their virtual doors as well. Most notable are bookstores such as Ozon, Biblio Globus and Books in Russia, and Bookshop, AzBooKa and Bambook in Ukraine. Despite a certain lack of high-quality online offerings in Runet and Uanet, surprisingly few Western sites offer the products and services that need no customs clearance. For example, web hosting fees in Ukraine are about two to eight times higher than those somewhere in the United States, but the service providers abroad seem to be in no hurry to enter the local market. This is also true for e-books, especially on programming and computing.

Spam and Spamdexing

Despite spam is still flourishing on the Russian Web, unsolicited email messages in Runet are far less aggressive than the email marketing campaigns in the US, when a news subscriber may receive bundles of advert mailings that are vaguely associated with his/her initial subscription.

The more pressing issue for both users and search engines is spamdexing, i.e. unfair tricks aimed at attaining high rankings in search engines. Searching Runet for a particular key phrase can give you dozens of mirrors and doorways. Some successful SE optimizers in Russia and Ukraine openly advertise that their promotion techniques are solely based on building doorways or cloaking, which currently seems unwise on the global Internet.

The top Russian search engines fight against spam in much as the most popular search engines do worldwide. For example, Yandex and Rambler penalize websites for using unfair tricks and encourage Runet users to report search engine spam. Many professional programmers and webmasters also voice their concerns about spamdexing. Articles by A. Shkondin at ClubPro.spb.ru (http://clubpro.spb.ru/) provide some classic examples of how spammers play games with the Russian search engines and Internet surfers.

About The Author

Vyacheslav Melnik is the founder and owner of AzureL10n (freenet.kiev.ua and mct.kiev.ua), a website specializing in web localization, copywriting and search engine optimization for Runet and Uanet, the Russian and Ukrainian portions of the Internet.

freenet.kiev.ua and mct.kiev.ua

cheapest limo Akin .. Lockport Chicago limo O’Hare
In The News:

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says using outdated computers and software leaves them vulnerable to security risks and malware.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals how WalkON enhances walking and jogging with sensors and artificial tendons.
Old-fashioned check fraud is back in style, quintupling over the past year. Here are a few low-tech, practical means of protecting yourself.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson discusses how 600,000-plus records, including checks and property data, were left exposed online by an information service provider.
That weird text from a friend may actually be from a hacker. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson tells you what signs to look out for.
Scammers can wreak havoc on your life just by having your phone number. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson addresses how to avoid becoming a victim.
PongBot is an artificial intelligence-powered tennis robot and a smart training partner available to play 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains how to update your iPhone to add Apple Intelligence, which he says can transform your interactions with your phone.
University scientists have trained a robotic surgical system to do work with the skill of human doctors, possibly transforming the future of surgeries.
As more companies implement artificial intelligence for daily tasks, some industry leaders are working to push back against certain aspects of the technology.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says the Batagaika crater in Siberia expands 35 million cubic feet yearly due to thawing.
While fewer than 30% of farmers reportedly use emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, experts believe AI could help producers and farmers make food quicker and more efficiently.
Amazon becomes a prime target of scammers during the holiday shopping season trying to steal Social Security numbers, bank information and Amazon credentials.
Spammers have found a way to target Spotify playlists and podcasts to push pirated software, cheat codes for games and spam links and malware sites.
Sharing information online like your vacation plans and relationship status can make you a target for scammers; here's what to avoid posting to keep yourself safe.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explores six sneaky holiday season gift card tricks, providing tips on how to outsmart scammers trying to rip you off.
Apple Watch's Translate app gives you your own personal interpreter, allowing you to have live two-way conversations in up to 20 different languages.
With kids facing a seemingly increasing amount of threats from creeps on the internet, here's how you can respectfully ask people not to post photos of your children on social media.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals how to regain your Facebook access if you get hacked or locked out.
Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson explains how to safeguard retirement accounts from cyber threats with a VPN: encryption, anonymity, secure access.
I’m going to Europe soon, and planning my trip was a breeze. Yes, really! AI did a big chunk of the work for me — and it can help you plan your next getaway, too.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says North Korean hackers hide malware in macOS apps, bypassing Mac security checks.
Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals how iPhone’s new Automatic Mic Mode adjusts settings for optimal call quality automatically.
Jeff Hancock, an expert on AI and misinformation, has been accused of fabricating an expert declaration by citing a study that was allegedly made up by AI.

Thomas Paine / Jefferson

Conor MacDari was a Mason but his Masonry deplored the... Read More

Belly Full of the Clintons [Political View]

As I read the papers and watch the news day... Read More

We Are Turning a Corner in Foreign Relations, Thanks GW Bush!

Kudos goes out to the George Walker Bush's Administration and... Read More

Immortality and Mortality in the Economic Sciences

Roberto Calvo Macias, a young author and thinker from Spain,... Read More

High Speed Trains and The Future of Transportation

Where are all the high-speed trains we were promised? Where... Read More

California Attorneys and Politicians

California Attorneys and politicians are to blame for the energy... Read More

Will Gay Marriage Slow Down AIDS Crisis

It is widely known in the Homosexual Male Populations that... Read More

Mexico; Look What We Did

The number-one question people ask us is, "What possessed you... Read More

A Trade War is brewing; Are We Paying Attention

Incompetence is all too obvious at the trade shows of... Read More

Bush and Kerry Differ on Immigration Policies

Up until the final debate at Arizona State University, the... Read More

Hawala, or The Bank That Never Was

I. OVERVIEWIn the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks... Read More

Smelter Closures In America Hurt Our Industrial Output

The United States is losing its industrial capacity quite rapidly.... Read More

World Power Brokers Readying for WWIII

Einstein when ask how did he believe WWIII would be... Read More

How Does the US Congress Really Work?

Many people do not understand politics very well. They often... Read More

Arbitrageous Outrageous and Immoral

Back-Dooring the CSIS:The US and Israel have admitted they back-doored... Read More

Bushs Election Victory: Ethics, Morality and Religion Defeated War, Economy and Foreign Policy

President George W. Bush has unofficially won his re-election bid... Read More

All Extremists Go To Heaven... Dont They

Heaven, Hell, or some sort of Purgatory.I cannot seem to... Read More

Victims of Child Support

"Similar to Medieval Inquisitions, judges have been given the authority,... Read More

No Child Left Behind needs to go Virtual

The No Child Left Behind can work if the Federal... Read More

What Is The Filibuster All About?

The filibuster has been a tool available to U.S. Senators... Read More

World Moving from Socialism to Capitalism

The recent Jakarta summit of Asia and Africa brought remembrance... Read More

Accounting Nightmare at the FTC

Most government agencies cannot pass an audit of their expenses.... Read More

Should Judgeships Be a Political Event?

Thought of the day; Questions about the judicial system. If... Read More

How Futuristic Is Anarchy As A Way To Organize The State (I)

When organising a country or a group of people in... Read More

The Hegemony - Church and State

THE ECCLESIASTICAL GRANT:There are good things done by the hegemony.... Read More

Aledo wedding limo ..