In 2014, the EU and the US imposed sanctions on Russia over its annexation of Crimea and the conflict in Ukraine. In retaliation, Russia banned all imports from the EU and the US, which had a direct impact on cheese imports into Russia. This forced Russian consumers to seek alternatives locally, boosting domestic cheese production. This trend appears to continue with the ongoing war in Ukraine which contributed to the extension of sanctions. Local Russian cheese producers see the situation as a good opportunity to improve the quality and volume of their production and thus develop a renowned domestic artisanal cheese industry, which would allow them to catch up with other countries famous for their cheeses.