Chinese smartphones dominated the Russian market in the first half of 2023, exceeding 70% of all sales, leading consumer electronics retailer M.Video-Eldorado said, up from about 55% last year.

Smartphones from Chinese retailers like Xiaomi and Realme have become top sellers in Russia after Samsung and Apple curbed sales in the country over the war in Ukraine.

Overall demand for smartphones in Russia is up 17% from the same period last year, with almost 13 million products sold.

Moscow has become more reliant on Beijing for everything from electronics to cars after most Western brands exited the Russian market.

"Brands from China systematically continue to strengthen their presence," M.Video said in a statement on Tuesday, adding that flagship models and foldable smartphones from Chinese brands were seeing particular demand.

Eight out of the 10 best-selling smartphones in Russia in the first six months of this year were Chinese, M.Video said.

The Kremlin has told officials to stop using Apple iPhones, saying that Western intelligence agencies have compromised them using surveillance software. Apple has denied those claims. (Reporting by Lucy Papachristou; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)