Several new laws, decrees, and regulations will take effect in Russia in August 2025, impacting various aspects of life for Russian citizens. These changes range from pension recalculations and IT deferment application deadlines to stricter penalties for desecrating military memorials and new rules regarding bank accounts for teenagers.
Working pensioners will see their insurance pensions recalculated starting August 1, 2025. The Social Fund will automatically recalculate pensions based on individual pension coefficients (IPC) accumulated in 2024, with a maximum increase of 437.07 rubles. Additionally, pensioners turning 80 in July, those receiving a first-group disability, and those caring for individuals in the first two disability groups will receive increased payments.
The deadline for IT specialists to apply for army deferments through the “Gosuslugi” portal is August 6. This applies to men aged 18 to 30 with Russian citizenship and relevant higher education, employed in accredited IT companies for at least 11 months in the past year. Organizations must verify employee data by August 11, and the Ministry of Defense will make deferment decisions between October 1 and December 31.
Opening a bank account for minors aged 14 to 18 will become more restricted, requiring parental or guardian consent unless the minor has full legal capacity through marriage or emancipation. This measure aims to protect children from fraudulent schemes involving bank cards.
Penalties for desecrating military memorials will be extended to include any actions that damage or worsen their appearance, with punishments ranging from fines up to 3 million rubles or imprisonment for up to 3 years for non-aggravated actions. Aggravated actions, such as those committed by a group or involving violence, could result in fines up to 5 million rubles or imprisonment for up to 5 years. These rules apply both within Russia and abroad.
Liability for the circulation of unmarked nicotine-containing products will be tightened, with fines up to 500,000 rubles, forced labor for up to three years, or imprisonment for the same term with a fine up to 120,000 rubles. The creation, sale, or use of counterfeit identification, excise, and special marks for alcohol and tobacco will also be subject to penalties.
Russians will gain the right to opt out of SMS mailings and spam through their telecom operator’s website or mobile application, effective August 1, 2025. A service is also planned for the “Gosuslugi” portal to allow citizens to file complaints about spam received after opting out.
The Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) will launch the “Anticartel” information system on August 1, 2025, using artificial intelligence to detect collusion between companies and violations of antimonopoly legislation in tenders. Participants in cartels risk administrative fines or criminal liability, including imprisonment and hefty fines.
An experiment involving the labeling of sausages and other meat-containing products will begin on August 1, 2025, in two stages. The first stage will focus on consumer packaging, followed by semi-finished and frozen products.
Updated state standards for children’s toys will also take effect in August, classifying toys by age groups, materials, and activities. The standards will include new safety requirements and address risks related to injuries, hygiene, chemical impact, and fire hazards. New recommendations for school backpacks will also be implemented, setting weight limits and requiring non-combustible materials and reflective elements.