Fines have been introduced in Russia for individuals searching for extremist content online. President Vladimir Putin signed the law, which targets individuals already known to law enforcement.

Penalties also include advertising VPNs, illegally transferring subscriber numbers, transferring personal data for Internet access, misusing virtual PBXs and equipment for accessing banned sites. Additional fines will be levied for violating obligations for information dissemination and non-compliance with law enforcement requests.

Starting September 1, 2025, motorists in Russia will face increased fees for government services related to driver’s licenses and vehicle registration. President Putin signed the bill that doubles the cost of obtaining a driver’s license.

An old-style license will increase to 4,000 rubles, and a new one will cost 6,000 rubles. The cost of international driving permits will rise from 1,600 to 3,200 rubles. Vehicle passports will increase to 1,200 rubles, while plastic registration certificates will cost 4,500 rubles. Vehicle registration costs will also increase.

A new criminal case has been initiated against Vladimir Kekhman, the director of the Moscow Art Theater (MXAT). The Investigative Committee of Russia (SKR) accuses him of accepting a 27 million ruble bribe.

Marat Karginov, CEO of the theater’s contractor, RSK-Renesans, also faces bribery charges. The cases stem from a 2022 incident where Karginov allegedly paid 27 million rubles for a Mercedes V-class for Kekhman, registering it under one of his companies. The Investigative Committee alleges that Kekhman has been using the vehicle since then.

Russia is transitioning to electronic medical certificates for drivers. Instead of a paper document, a QR code and certificate number will be issued.

This information will be presented to the traffic police (Russian GIBDD), and data will be automatically uploaded into the State Traffic Inspectorate system. The new procedure will be implemented in 2027.