🇷🇺 Russia · Travel & tourism, Policy & regulation
31 storiesRussian government approves bioeconomy development strategy to 2036
Russia's government approved a bioeconomy development strategy running to 2036, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said at a meeting with deputy premiers, according to official and business outlets. The strategy defines priority areas for bio…
Russian tourism union warns Schengen visa issuance may fall in 2027
The Russian Union of Tour Industry (RST) said the volume of Schengen visas issued to Russian tourists could decline in 2027, while adding that no new decisions changing visa issuance have been adopted. A review of visa requirements and visa…
Germany sees threefold rise in military service refusal applications in 2026
Applications to refuse military service in Germany in 2026 were three times higher than a year earlier, RIA Novosti and TASS reported. RBC said the filings came after a new military service system was introduced and exceeded all application…
Moscow to require couriers to pass annual traffic rules test from Oct. 15, 2026
Moscow couriers must pass a mandatory test on traffic rules and work standards, and from Oct. 15, 2026 delivery services in the city cannot assign work to those who have not passed it. Couriers need at least 80% correct answers, with the re…
Russia plans to nearly double three-year internet filtering budget to 60 bln rubles
An appendix to Russia's draft three-year budget allocates almost 60 billion rubles to operating the system that filters and blocks internet resources, up from 32 billion rubles planned for the same period two years ago. The money is to go t…
Russian government closes Moscow Ostafyevo aerodrome and border crossing
The Russian government has decreed the closure of Moscow's Ostafyevo aerodrome for the servicing of aircraft, TASS, RBC and Vedomosti reported. TASS and Vedomosti said the air border crossing point through the state border located there wil…
Russia's draft budget keeps radioelectronics subsidies of up to 35.7 bln rubles through 2029
Russia's draft federal budget for 2027 and the 2028–2029 planning period keeps subsidies for radioelectronics manufacturers at up to 35.7 bln rubles for electronic component base and modules, according to the budget's explanatory note. It a…
FAS finds cartel in school bread supplies in Voronezh region worth over 650 mln rubles
Russia's Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) has detected a cartel in bread supplies for schools in the Voronezh region, according to TASS and RIA Novosti. TASS reported the collusion involved kindergartens and schools and was worth more tha…
Russian deputy says pensions will be indexed twice in 2027
State Duma deputy Alexey Govyrin said insurance pensions in Russia will be raised twice in 2027, on 1 February and 1 April, with further adjustments for working, social and military pensioners. He said the February increase will take accoun…
Russia's Federal Tax Service denies mass erroneous EV tax charges
Russia's Federal Tax Service (FNS) denied reports of mass erroneous transport tax charges on electric vehicles, saying the claims do not correspond to reality. The FNS said it applied 2025 transport tax benefits in line with regional laws, …
Federation Council speaker Matvienko proposes ending VAT break for oysters and lobsters
Federation Council speaker Valentina Matvienko proposed cancelling the reduced 10% VAT rate on delicacies such as oysters, lobsters and langoustines, which she said would bring the federal budget about 6 billion rubles. She said the money c…
Siluanov says ministry, business reached compromise on mining windfall tax
Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said the finance ministry and business reached a compromise on a windfall tax on the mining and metals sector, with a mechanism to smooth price-driven spikes in the payment. The amendments, now in the…
Russia prevented 291 illegal cash export cases worth almost $180 mln, minister says
Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said 291 cases of illegal cash currency exports were prevented between April and July 2026, worth almost $180 million, at parliamentary hearings in the Federation Council. Interfax put the sum at about 12.5 b…
Sevastopol governor proposes 6% “Crimean mortgage” to support construction
Sevastopol Governor Mikhail Razvozhayev proposed a preferential mortgage programme for the Crimean peninsula at 6% annual interest, saying it would support the region's construction industry. Kommersant reported he made the proposal at a Fe…
Russia's Digital Ministry drafts regulation for electronic postal system via Gosuslugi
Russia's Ministry of Digital Development has prepared a draft government decree approving a regulation on an electronic postal system that would deliver legally significant messages to citizens and organisations through the Gosuslugi portal…
Moscow court annuls FAS warning to Rusal over aluminium pricing
The Moscow Arbitration Court annulled a warning issued by Russia’s Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) to aluminium producer Rusal over domestic aluminium prices, TASS, RBC and RIA Novosti reported. RBC reported that Rusal had contested FAS’…
Maldives postpones 17% tourism tax for foreign tour companies to April 2027
The Maldives has postponed the introduction of a tourism tax for foreign tour operators, travel agencies and foreign booking platforms until April 1, 2027, according to the Russian Union of Travel Industry (RST), as reported by RIA Novosti …
Federation Council speaker proposes excise on tobacco-free nicotine products
Federation Council speaker Valentina Matviyenko said at budget hearings that the chamber supports regulating the circulation and consumption of tobacco-free nicotine and nicotine-free products and introducing an excise tax on them, with the…
Russia to revoke tobacco seller licences for sales to minors from March 2027
The Russian government has added new grounds for annulling the licences of sellers of tobacco and nicotine-containing products, including confirmed sales to minors, under a decree reported by Vedomosti, RBC and Kommersant. TASS said the vio…
Arzamas becomes first Russian city to fully update federal urban planning norms
Arzamas has become the first city in Russia to fully update federal urban planning norms, according to state news agencies RIA Novosti and TASS. TASS reported that 524 historical objects were placed under protection as part of the change. B…