Import Substitution Without Disruption
Russian RPA platforms are replacing Western automation tools without halting operations – and are positioning themselves as competitive players in the global market.
Migrating Robots Under Sanctions Pressure
Russian pharmaceutical manufacturer Akrikhin, working with system integrator Pervyy Bit, completed a full-scale migration from a foreign RPA platform and rebuilt its software robot fleet on the Russian-developed PIX RPA platform.
Akrikhin had used software robots on the UiPath platform since 2020. These digital employees operated centrally, executing company-wide tasks rather than serving as isolated user-level assistants. When the foreign vendor exited the Russian market, Akrikhin faced strict deadlines. Its license was expiring, and shutting down the robots was not an option – automation had become embedded in core business operations.
Process continuity is critical for Akrikhin, one of Russia’s leading pharmaceutical companies producing high-quality medicines across the most in-demand therapeutic categories. Its portfolio includes around 200 products, more than 45 percent of which are listed in Russia’s Essential and Vital Medicines List.
Replacing Routine Work With 10 FTE of Capacity
Akrikhin selected PIX RPA as its new platform, with Pervyy Bit serving as the migration partner. IT specialists and key business users assessed each automated process and prioritized migration based on operational criticality. The robots were effectively placed in a structured queue – from those essential to uninterrupted business operations to those that employees could temporarily handle manually.
The project was completed in four months. All three major automation domains at Akrikhin were migrated to PIX RPA: accounting, commercial logistics and regulatory compliance. In accounting, robots upload bank statements, generate reconciliation reports with suppliers and customers, process expense claims and execute invoice payments. For commercial logistics teams, robots process invoices during goods receipt, reconcile warehouse balances across ERP and WMS systems and prepare related documentation. In pharmacovigilance and the medical department, robots monitor updates on the regulator’s website and flag news requiring action. The result is a measurable reduction in routine workload, allowing employees to focus on decision-making while lowering the risk of manual errors.
The most quantifiable outcome of the project is the automation of more than 100 processes and savings exceeding 20,000 employee work hours annually, equivalent to more than 10 full-time positions.
Akrikhin now operates a scalable automation framework capable of expanding to new business processes without compromising speed or quality.
Russian RPA Platforms Reshape Industrial Workflows
PIX RPA, listed in the Russian national software registry, is developed by PIX Robotics, a Russian vendor specializing in business analytics, robotic process automation, AI and ML and process management solutions. The platform aligns with import substitution requirements and is built on the open-source .NET Core framework. PIX RPA runs on Windows and Linux, including Astra, RED OS and Alt distributions, supports MS SQL and PostgreSQL and integrates with more than 100 systems without requiring modifications to core IT infrastructure. It also enables interaction with language models such as Yandex GPT and GigaChat.
PIX is the first platform to incorporate an embedded BPM system for centralized robot management, providing end-to-end oversight of automation workflows. Theoretically, the platform can support up to 50,000 robots operating simultaneously, though achieving that scale in practice is technically complex. Most projects built on UiPath, Blue Prism and other foreign platforms can be migrated to PIX RPA on a one-to-one basis within compressed timelines.
Hundreds of Russian companies and public institutions automate processes on PIX RPA. Users include the Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation, Glavgosexpertiza, IEMZ Kupol, Rosenergoatom, Sukhoi Company, Norilsk Nickel, PhosAgro, S7, Gazprombank, VTB Leasing, Alfa Leasing, Ingosstrakh, Rosseti, VTB, Uralsib and Ozon.
Another example of successful replacing foreign technologies is the implementation of Sherpa RPA by Sherpa Robotics at Rostelecom. Operational processes previously handled through UiPath solutions were successfully migrated to the Russian system and brought into full production within five months of project launch.
A major RPA initiative completed in 2023 involved the migration of software robots from UiPath to PIX RPA at Norilsk Nickel. More than 100 robots across accounting, HR, treasury, logistics, procurement, security and IT were replaced without loss of functionality. The number of robots developed on PIX RPA at Norilsk Nickel has already exceeded 150.
A Window of Opportunity for Domestic Automation
Following the departure of foreign vendors, Russian developers have gained an opportunity to strengthen their products, surpass foreign competitors in functionality and compete for market leadership. Future development plans include expanded use of machine learning, artificial intelligence and OCR technologies, including applications for business process discovery. Platforms such as Primo RPA and PIX Robotics already incorporate elements of ML. PIX is also building an ecosystem that extends beyond software robots to include business intelligence tools, ETL capabilities, process management systems and other technologies designed to operate in conjunction with automation frameworks.
Russian RPA vendors are not only scaling rapidly but are increasingly positioned to compete in international markets.
