Effective September 1, 2026, new mandatory requirements will come into force for all website owners: domain registration in the national zones .ru, .рф, and .su will now only be possible through identity verification on the “Gosuslugi” portal. This measure, established by federal legislation, aims to completely eliminate anonymity in the Russian internet segment, which has long been a primary loophole exploited by malicious actors.

Previously, fraudsters could freely register domains using forged or stolen passport data to create phishing sites, one-day online stores, and platforms for distributing malware. Now, every domain administrator-whether an individual or a company-must have a verified ESIA account; organizations are also required to confirm employee authorization through the system. It is important to note that these new rules apply not only to new registrations: if you already operate a website in the .ru or .рф zone, you may continue using it until the end of your current paid period. However, upon the first attempt to renew the domain, the system will require verification via “Gosuslug”i. Failure to comply will result in non-renewal of the domain and loss of site accessibility.

In addition to identification requirements, the new regulations introduce further restrictions: a public “stop-list” of domain names violating legislation or previously belonging to government bodies will be maintained; certain categories of individuals-for example, foreign agents-may be prohibited from registering domains altogether. For legitimate business owners and bloggers, this procedure will not pose an insurmountable obstacle but will require additional time for registration and add a new administrative step.

Essentially, this initiative finalizes the state's transition toward a fully transparent digital environment where every domain within national zones is linked to an identifiable individual or legal entity. This development is expected to significantly reduce fraudulent resources and enhance user trust in websites within the .ru and .рф domains.