Overview
- A draft Ministry of Energy decree would bar cryptocurrency mining activity, including joining mining pools, in Moscow, Moscow Oblast and eight Kursk districts through the end of 2032.
- Reports differ on the ban's start date with some sources citing an early July effective date and others reporting a mid‑August start, leaving the exact launch day unclear.
- Officials justify the measure as a grid‑protection step, saying Moscow‑area mining uses roughly one gigawatt of power while data‑center capacity in the region is forecast to grow sharply and stress the system.
- A separate State Duma bill moving through parliament would add criminal penalties for large‑scale or unregistered mining, proposing fines and prison terms that would tighten enforcement beyond regional bans.
- The move continues a pattern of regional restrictions since Russia legalized mining in 2024 and will force active operators to shut, move, or sell equipment while reserving limited local electricity for other users and services.