Federal Law N 168-FZ ‘On Amendment of Certain RF Legislative Acts’ toughening requirements with respect to using of foreign words in the public realm took effect on March 1, 2026.
Now, all information to be made available to the public should be in the Russian language with obligatory translation of foreign words into Russian.
According to the explanatory notes to the Law, the novelties are intended for limitation of the use of foreign words (Anglicisms), strengthening positions of the Russian language, and ensuring exact and correct perception by consumers of information about offered goods or services (their characteristics).
The Law applies to information being placed on storefront signage, signboards, inscriptions, plates, goods tags, packages, websites, and other information media.
The following are requirements to translation of foreign words and phrases:
a. Accuracy. Translation should fully convey semantic content of the text in the foreign language (e.g., ‘Sale’ – ‘Распродажа’, rather than ‘Сейл’ (transliteration)).
Writing of foreign words in Cyrillic letters (e.g., ‘опен’ (open), ‘дэнс’ (dance)) is not compliant with requirements of the Law. When translating a foreign title, it is necessary to think of a general-use Russian analogue.
This being said, newly coined words that emerged as a result of borrowing of words from foreign languages are not deemed foreign words. Therefore, the use thereof without translation or additional interpretation is allowed.
However, not every borrowed foreign word will be deemed a newly coined word. In pursuance of Resolution of the Government dd. July 01, 2023 N 1092, a list of dictionaries fixing foreign words and phrases which can be used without translation into Russian has been drawn up and approved:
a. Spelling Dictionary of the Russian Language (compiled by the Federal State Budgetary Institution of Science Institute of the Russian Language named after V.V. Vinogradov of the Russian Academy of Science).
Exemptions from the Law:
This rule will not apply to company names and trademarks. If a company name or a trademark is registered in a foreign language, no translation into Russian is required for its use in public domain, including in advertising.
Liability for breaches of requirements of the Law:
Those novelties have been adopted in elaboration of provisions of Federal Laws ‘On the Official Language’ dd. June 01, 2005 N 53-FZ, ‘On Advertizing’ dd, March 13, 2006 N 38-FZ, and ‘On Protection of Consumers’ Rights’ dd. February 07, 1992 N 2300-1.
Since those amendments are of a clarification nature, no special liability for breaches of requirements for translation of foreign words into the Russian languages has been introduced.
Still, it is possible that pending adoption of special norms providing for liability for breaches of requirements concerning the official language, a sanction can be determined in accordance with Part 1 of Article 14.8 of the Administrative Offence Code, which provides for imposition of a fine. E.g., for legal entities it ranges from 5,000 to 10,000 rubles.
As of today, no clarifications have been made by controlling bodies re practices of enforcement of that Law or liability for a failure to comply with the established provisions, which would allow for a more exact interpretation of its provisions.
