The National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption (NAPC) has included two of the world's leading international tobacco companies, Philip Morris International and Japan Tobacco International, in the list of war sponsors.
Both companies continue to do business in Russia, paying large amounts of taxes to the Russian budget.
Philip Morris International is an American global cigarette and tobacco company that offers its products in more than 180 countries, including popular brands such as Marlboro, Parliament, Bond, Chesterfield, L&M, Next, HEETS (tobacco sticks for the IQOS tobacco heating system). Philip Morris International has two affiliated companies in Russia: Philip Morris Izhora JSC with factories in the Leningrad region and a branch of Philip Morris Izhora Kuban JSC in Krasnodar, and Philip Morris Sales and Marketing LLC with offices in about 100 cities in Russia.
In 2019, Philip Morris International's market share in Russia was 30.1%. The company is characterized by significant investments in the Russian economy, with more than USD 2 billion in the last period alone. Its presence in the Russian market has also proved to be a factor in supporting the Russian army through the payment of taxes to the budget.
In turn, Japan Tobacco International (JTI) holds a leading position in the Russian tobacco market with a market share of about 34.9%. It produces a variety of tobacco brands, including Winston, LD, Mevius, Camel, Sobranie, as well as Russian brands such as Donskoy Tobacco, Kiss, Play, Peter I, Troika, and others. The company also brings to the market innovative products with reduced risk, such as the Ploom tobacco heating device and the Logic Compact capsule-type electronic vaporizer. JTI is one of the largest investors in the Russian tobacco industry, with investments in the Russian economy exceeding $4.6 billion over the past two decades. In 2020, JTI's tax payments accounted for 1.4% of the Russian federal budget revenue.
