Russia's Ministry of Digital Development, also known as MinTsifry, has announced its intention to create a standalone Linux development community. This decision comes after several Russian contributors were removed from the Linux kernel development list. The incident has its roots in compliance with international sanctions, leading to a rift in global open-source participation.

The Background

On October 18, 2024, Linux kernel maintainer Greg Kroah-Hartman announced the removal of eleven Russian contributors from the official Linux MAINTAINERS list. The excluded developers were associated with prominent Russian institutions, such as Moscow State University, SberDevices, and Open Mobile Platform, a subsidiary of the state-controlled telecom giant Rostelecom.

Reason for Exclusion

The exclusion of these developers was justified by compliance requirements due to international sanctions against Russia. Despite the significant contributions of these developers to the Linux community, especially in terms of Russian hardware compatibility, the legal mandate necessitated their delisting.

Torvalds' Stance

Linus Torvalds, the creator of Linux, supported the decision by emphasizing the precedence of legal compliance. He noted that the situation extends beyond U.S. laws, impacting global stakeholders. Torvalds firmly stated that the Linux project would not engage with individuals or organizations tied to Russian interests under the current geopolitical climate.

Russia's Response and Potential Allies

In response, Russia aims to create a Linux 'fork'—a separate, self-governed version of the operating system tailored to meet domestic technological needs and reduce reliance on international governance. MinTsifry plans to collaborate with other countries, possibly China, which has an effective track record in proprietary operating systems.

Expert Opinions

While the Russian Ministry's proposal might seem necessary, experts within Russia are skeptical about its effectiveness in achieving technological independence. The global Linux kernel community remains highly collaborative, making it difficult for Russia to exert influence over or disengage from the open-source ecosystem.

A potential Russian fork of Linux might face challenges in integrating with the broader, well-established Linux community globally, thereby questioning its long-term viability and impact.

This was initially reported by CyberInsider.