Russian AI Law

National AI Strategy

The Russian Federation adopted its National Strategy for the Development of Artificial Intelligence (October 2019, updated in 2023) as the foundational policy document for AI governance. The Strategy defines AI as a critical technology for national competitiveness and security, setting targets for AI adoption in the economy, public administration, and defence by 2030. The Strategy emphasises sovereign AI development, including indigenous hardware, software, and data infrastructure, and calls for the creation of a comprehensive regulatory framework that balances innovation with safety and ethical considerations.

The Strategy is implemented through the Digital Economy national programme and the Federal Project on Artificial Intelligence, which coordinates funding for AI research, education, and commercial deployment. The Skolkovo Foundation and the Analytical Center for the Government of the Russian Federation serve as key institutional actors in AI policy development.

Experimental Legal Regimes for AI

Federal Law No. 258-FZ of 2020, On Experimental Legal Regimes (ELR) in the Sphere of Digital Innovations, establishes regulatory sandboxes for AI and other emerging technologies. The ELR framework allows businesses to test AI applications in controlled environments with temporary exemptions from certain regulatory requirements. The law permits sandboxes for autonomous vehicles, telemedicine, AI-driven financial services, and other high-impact domains.

The Moscow AI Experiment was the first and most prominent ELR. Participating companies could deploy AI-powered medical diagnostics, autonomous delivery robots, and facial recognition systems in designated zones under relaxed regulatory conditions. The experiment generated data that has informed broader regulatory development, including the refinement of liability rules for AI-caused harm. Participants were required to implement risk mitigation measures, maintain insurance, and submit to government monitoring.

AI Ethics Code

A voluntary Code of Ethics in the Sphere of AI was adopted in 2021 by the AI Alliance Russia, a consortium of major technology companies including Sberbank, Yandex, Gazprom Neft, and MTS, in cooperation with the Ministry of Digital Development. The Code sets out ethical principles for AI development and deployment, including human-centredness, transparency, accountability, and non-discrimination. Signatories commit to conducting ethical reviews of their AI systems, ensuring human oversight of high-risk applications, and avoiding AI uses that deliberately cause harm.

While the Code is voluntary, adherence is increasingly expected by regulators and may become de facto mandatory through procurement requirements and government licensing conditions. The AI Alliance Russia maintains a compliance monitoring function and publishes an annual ethical AI report.

AI in Healthcare Regulation

Russian law governing AI in healthcare reflects a cautious approach that prioritises medical safety. The Federal Service for Surveillance in Healthcare (Roszdravnadzor) requires separate registration and certification of AI-powered medical devices, including diagnostic and decision-support systems. Software as a Medical Device (SaMD) must undergo clinical evaluation and meet requirements under GOST R 57144-2023 (the national standard for AI medical devices). Telemedicine platforms incorporating AI are regulated under Federal Law No. 242-FZ on Telemedicine.

Data Localisation and AI Training

Russia’s data localisation requirement (Article 16 of Federal Law No. 242-FZ, amending the Personal Data Law) mandates that operators processing personal data of Russian citizens use databases physically located in Russia. This requirement has significant implications for AI training, as training datasets containing Russian personal data must be stored and processed within the Federation. The Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media (Roskomnadzor) enforces the localisation requirement and has pursued enforcement actions against non-compliant companies, including Meta and LinkedIn.

Autonomous Vehicle Regulation

Russia has established a layered regulatory framework for autonomous vehicles, initially through the ELR sandbox mechanism and subsequently through permanent legislation. Autonomous vehicle testing is permitted on designated public roads in Moscow, Tatarstan, and other regions under conditions established by Decree No. 1300 of 2023, which requires a safety driver present, mandatory data recording, and minimum insurance coverage. The Ministry of Transport has proposed a pathway to Level 5 fully autonomous vehicles by 2030, subject to safety validation and infrastructure requirements.

Sberbank AI Governance Framework

As Russia’s largest technology investor and AI developer, Sberbank has established a corporate AI governance framework that effectively serves as industry standard. The framework includes an AI Ethics Committee, mandatory AI risk assessments, explainability requirements for model outputs, and a model validation function that tests for bias, robustness, and fairness. The framework has been published as a reference model for Russian companies and has influenced regulatory expectations.

Roskomnadzor and AI Content Moderation

Roskomnadzor exercises oversight over AI-generated content under several legal authorities, including Federal Law No. 149-FZ on Information, Information Technologies, and Information Protection, and Federal Law No. 436-FZ on Protection of Children from Harmful Information. The agency requires labelling of AI-generated content that could be mistaken for human-created material and has issued guidelines for social media platforms using AI moderation tools. Russia’s enhanced control over internet content raises particular questions about AI-driven censorship and automated content removal.

International Dimensions

Russia has participated in international AI governance discussions, including within the BRICS framework, the International Telecommunication Union, and the United Nations. Russia has advocated for a state-centric approach to AI governance, emphasising national sovereignty over AI infrastructure and data, and has resisted proposals for mandatory international AI standards that would constrain domestic development.

Outlook

Russian AI law is evolving rapidly within the framework of digital sovereignty and national security imperatives. The ELR mechanism provides flexibility for innovation, while data localisation, content controls, and state oversight impose significant regulatory constraints. Russia’s approach to AI regulation is likely to diverge further from Western models as geopolitical tensions deepen.