The Russian president has been calling for companies and other entities to opt for local offerings for a while now, citing American corporations' decision to shutter services in Crimea after his government annexed the peninsula in 2014. To ensure things go their way, Putin's internet czar German Klimenko wants to raise taxes imposed upon American firms operating within Russia.

In recent years, Putin's government has also been passing laws and imposing strict requirements to ensure a tight hold over the country's tech sector. Back in 2014, it required websites accessible in Russia to store its citizens' personal data in servers within its borders. Earlier this year, it started requiring internet providers to add backdoor access to their subscribers' encrypted messages, as well.