Аннотация:This article aimed to identify the features of the digital society formation in Russia in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to achieve this goal, the methods of critical analysis and case studies were used, which made it possible to analyze the Russian situation and draw conclusions regarding the results of the forced digitalization of crucial spheres of society. The key conclusion to which the author comes in this work is that, despite active digitalization in the context of a pandemic, the potential of digital technologies has not been used at present with sufficiently high efficiency. Today we can talk mainly about theintensification of information and communication flows, but not about the transition to a qualitatively new level of the social structure of society, which, as expected, should accompany digitalization. As a result of the conducted research, we were unable to identify the synergy of digital platforms, technologies, and services that could be described as a transition to a digital society of a new type. The work shows that the situation with the COVID-19 pandemic is perceived by subjects of political, economic, social activity as purely temporary, requiring intensification of work until the end of the self-isolation regime. The need for a sustainable transition to a qualitatively new digital format for the life of the state and society is not on the agenda. The author concludes that neither the institutions of power, the subjects of economic activity, nor the civil society itself is ready for such a transition. The idea of digitalization today is not provided with ready-made functional solutions at the system level.Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic, digital society, forced digitalization, social transformations, digitalization in Russia