Russian companies are increasingly exploiting the names and reputations of well-known Chinese brands by registering their trademarks locally and creating copycat businesses. According to Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SZRU), the practice allows Russian firms to profit from established brands while making it more difficult for the legitimate Chinese companies to enter the Russian market.
Details
The SZRU says that despite the Kremlin’s claims of a “strategic partnership” with China, Russian businesses continue to appropriate Chinese intellectual property by creating clone websites, registering trademarks in their own names, and using recognizable brand identities without authorization.
As an example, the intelligence agency cited Poizon, one of China’s largest online marketplaces. According to the report, a Russian company registered a copycat business in 2022, adopted the Poizon name, replicated the platform’s website design, and began operating under the well-known brand.
The SZRU estimates that by capitalizing on the brand’s reputation, the Russian company increased its revenue 24-fold in 2025, reaching approximately 860 million rubles.
The agency also noted that the Russian firm secured the trademarks through Rospatent before the legitimate owner, forcing the Chinese company to pursue legal action and seek compensation.
According to Ukrainian intelligence, the case demonstrates that Russian businesses are willing to appropriate intellectual property even from countries officially regarded as Moscow’s strategic partners.
The SZRU added that many international companies now register their trademarks in Russia not to conduct business there, but to prevent local entities from exploiting their brands.
Background
Earlier reports indicated that Russia’s corporate sector continues to accumulate debt rapidly. Overdue corporate liabilities have exceeded $117.5 billion, while the share of non-performing corporate loans has risen to 6.7% of the total corporate lending portfolio.
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