From 1 September 2026, new identity verification requirements apply to the registration and administration of .ru, .рф and .su domain names. International brand owners should check their portfolios now, rather than waiting for the next renewal date.

What’s changed?

Russian Federal Law No. 569-FZ (effective from 1 September 2026), introduces mandatory identification of domain name administrators through ESIA, Russia’s identification portal.

In practice, an administrator must complete ESIA verification before registering a new affected domain or carrying out key actions on an existing one, including renewal, transfer and changes to DNS settings. The rules apply to .ru, .рф and .su domains and affect existing registrations as well as new ones.

Will existing domains be cancelled?

Not immediately. The change does not mean that every unverified domain will be cancelled on 1 September 2026. The more immediate issue is that an unverified registrant may be unable to renew or otherwise manage the domain. If verification is not completed, or another arrangement is not put in place, the domain may ultimately be lost when its current registration period ends.

Why does this matter for international brands?

Access to ESIA is likely to be difficult for many businesses without a Russian presence. Brand owners should identify affected domains, check renewal dates and decide which registrations remain commercially important. Leaving the review until renewal may reduce the time available to deal with any verification issue.

It is also worth reviewing the wider Russian domain portfolio. Although .com.ru, .net.ru and .org.ru are not affected by these verification requirements, brand owners should check what they already hold in those spaces and whether there are gaps worth addressing as part of the wider protection strategy.

What are the options?

For domains that need to be retained, a trustee arrangement may be available through RU-CENTER or another provider and may be capable of being arranged through the existing domain service provider. The position should be checked for the particular registrant and portfolio.

The alternative is to allow the domain to lapse, but that decision needs care. Russian country-code domains are not generally recoverable through the ICANN Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy. If a third party registers the domain, recovery may instead require court proceedings in Russia. That can make a defensive registration considerably easier to preserve than to recover later.

What should brand owners do now?

Identify all .ru, .рф and .su domains in the portfolio
Check the registrant details and next renewal date for each domain
Decide which registrations remain important to the business and its brands
Check whether ESIA verification or a trustee arrangement is available
Review related .com.ru, .net.ru and .org.ru holdings for gaps
Take advice before allowing any strategically important domain to lapse

Stobbs can review affected portfolios, help assess which domains justify continued protection and advise on the practical options. If you hold .ru, .рф or .su domains and would like to discuss the impact of these changes, please contact us at info@iamstobbs.com or your usual attorney.