Russian launch nears for Netflix

Netflix will soon launch in Russia, according to a local report.

The SVOD service will launch locally this month on smart TVs, Russia’s Izvestia newspaper reported.

“We hope that there will be more licensed content in Russia, and with the advent of Netflix people will start to get used to the consumer subscription model,” said LG Electronics smart TV manager Vitaliy Svistunov in an interview.

Netflix plans to have its service in 200 territories by year-end. Last year it debuted in Japan, Cuba, Australia, New Zealand, Spain, Italy and Portugal, and confirmed a Chinese launch for 2016.

The service has also been fixed to launch early this year in South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan, while another report suggests India may be the first new territory opening this year.