US Identifies Russia, Ukraine, Bulgaria Marketplaces as Top Pirates

Last month the United States government released a list of marketplaces, both physical and online, well known for offering counterfeit and pirated products. Ukrainian, Russian and Bulgarian markets and websites are included on this list.

The review of “notorious markets”, formerly part of the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) annual Special 301 report, has been published as a separate document for the second time.

Among physical marketplaces offering fake goods, the report lists the open-air Petrivka Market in Kiev, Ukraine, with approximately 300 stands selling pirated music, films, games and software. The Savelovskiy Market in Moscow, Russia, previously known for offering counterfeit electronic goods, has been taken off the list as “the management has implemented an action plan to stop the distribution of infringing goods”.

Among the online sources of fake goods, the report includes Russian-based BitTorrent tracker Rutracker, which is among Russia’s 15 most visited websites and among 300 most visited websites globally. Also included on the list are the Ukraine-based BitTorrent tracker Demonoid, Bulgarian-based BitTorrent tracker zamunda and the BitTorrent indexing website Kat.ph (formerly kickasstorrents), based in Ukraine, Romania and Canada.

Russian social network vKontakte, which is among the four most visited websites in Russia and among the 40 most visited websites in the world, is cited in the report for providing access to unauthorized audio and audiovisual material.

For more information, please contact Jelena Jankovic at our Balkan Regional Office.

Source: Office of the USTR’s Review of Notorious Markets