News: Important Changes for .RU, .РФ and .SU Domains Starting September 1, 2026

The Russian domain registries are introducing new legal requirements for all .RU, .РФ and .SU domain names.

Starting September 1, 2026, all domain holders will be required to complete electronic identification through the Russian government platform Gosuslugi.

These changes affect both Russian and international domain owners.

What does this mean?

Without successful verification through Gosuslugi, .RU, .РФ and .SU domains may no longer be fully manageable.

This means it may no longer be possible to:

* renew domains
* change nameservers or DNS settings
* update registrant information
* register new .RU/.SU/.РФ domains

If a domain cannot be renewed, it will eventually expire and may be lost.

Who is affected?

These rules also apply to customers outside Russia.

For international domain owners, verification may be difficult or even impossible without:

* a Russian digital identity
* Russian documentation
* or a local presence in Russia

What should customers do now?

We strongly recommend that customers with .RU, .РФ or .SU domains take action well before the deadline.

Step 1 – Review your domains

Check which .RU, .РФ and .SU domains you currently use.

Determine:

* which domains are actively used
* which are business critical
* which may no longer be necessary

Step 2 – Choose a solution

There are currently three possible options:

Option A – Russian registrant

Register the domain under:

* a Russian company
* a Russian partner
* or a Russian individual with Gosuslugi verification

Option B – Trustee / Local Presence Service

Trustee solutions will become available where a local compliant party officially manages the domain on your behalf.

Our registrar has announced that additional information and pricing will be provided later.

Option C – Use an alternative extension

Consider making important websites and email services available under alternative extensions such as:

* .COM
* .NET
* .EU
* .DE

This helps reduce dependency on future Russian regulations.

Important deadline

Deadline: September 1, 2026

After this date, unverified .RU, .РФ and .SU domains may become partially or fully unmanageable.

We strongly advise customers not to wait until the last moment.

Need assistance?

If you own .RU, .РФ or .SU domains and would like advice about the best solution, please contact our support team.

We are happy to assist with:

* reviewing your domain portfolio
* discussing alternatives
* preparing for the new regulations
* future trustee solutions