On February 11, 2025, the Russian State Duma (Russia’s lower parliament) adopted in the first reading a draft law on restricting the use of foreign words.

WHAT DOES THE BILL BRING?

The draft law proposes establishing that residential complexes must have Russian names.[1]

In other words, the draft law is aimed at ceasing the practice where residential complexes are given names in foreign languages and establishes that all names must comply with norms of the Russian language as documented in dictionaries and reference manuals.[2]

This ban on Anglicisms applies to using a name in advertising for, as well as in design or working documentation of, a facility (or group of facilities) being capital construction projects.

WHAT ELSE IS CHANGING?

• Requirements are being introduced for commercial designations, which can be only in Russian (but can include a company’s business name in a foreign language);
• Information on goods, works and services intended for consumers to access publicly (for example, on advertising, navigation or information signs) must be in Russian (an exception is made for company names and trademarks in a foreign language);
• TV and radio programs on mandatory Russian channels must be broadcast in Russian, and if regional programs are also broadcast, they must be in the state languages of the regions and of the population that lives on the territories of the Russian regions.

HOW TO COMPLY WITH NEW REQUIREMENTS IF THE BILL PASSES

• You will need to use only Russian words in naming a capital construction project. For example, instead of using the English “Capital Towers,” you can use “Башни Столиц” – a Russian translation of such a name, but cannot use “Кэпитал Тауэрс” – a simple Russian transcription of the English words;
• In commercial designations, you will also need to use Russian words. However, if your company name is in a foreign language, it can be used as part of the commercial designation;
• Publicly available information on goods and service must be in Russian. For example, store signs with the English words “coffee” and “sale” will need to be changed to “кофе” – the Russian word for coffee and “распродажа” – the Russian word for sale.
• You can still use foreign words if they are part of your company name or are used in your trademarks – now is a good time to think about registering a trademark;
• In advertising, you can still use a foreign language if information that is identical in content and design is also available in Russian.

As of now, there are still questions left unanswered in the draft law text; for example, it is unclear if names of projects already completed will need to be changed. We presume that this issue along with others will be addressed in the course of the second reading.

We will keep you posted as examination of the bill continues.