Intel has officially commented on the situation with the restoration of access to proprietary software for users from Russia and Belarus. Previously, we recall that access to the software download section of the American semiconductor giant was possible only through a VPN.

In February 2022, Intel stopped deliveries of products to Russia and Belarus, and in April of the same year, the company announced the termination of activities in the Russian Federation and blocked its web resources for local users. Access to the page for downloading drivers and other software was also closed. Now the developer has returned access to software support channels for their products, explaining this step with “warranty obligations”.

“Intel continues to comply with all applicable export regulations and sanctions in the countries in which it operates. This includes enforcing sanctions and export controls against Russia and Belarus imposed by the United States and its allies. Access to resources to address driver update needs, such as the Intel Download Center and the Intel Download Support Assistant (IDSA), is part of Intel's warranty obligations," the company said. At the same time, the use of the site is limited, and at the moment access to software from Russia and Belarus is actually possible only through a direct link, while access to other pages is still impossible.

It is known that Microsoft also eased restrictions, returning the ability to Russians to download distributions of Windows 10 and Windows 11 in December last year. At the same time, the company said that they had stopped selling all new products and services in Russia and were complying with all sanctions imposed by the EU, the UK and the US.