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Under draft legislation that the State Duma approvedat first reading on May 22, 2025, a bill will require banks and merchants to facilitate digital ruble transactions and a universal QR payment code for purchases. Beginning October 1, 2025, the digital ruble will be used for a limited range of federal budget expenditures, transitioning on January 1, 2026, to full, unrestricted use for all federal outlays.

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Kremlin financiers will track every digital ruble transaction in real time, granting authorities the power to block citizens’ accounts without a court order and automatically deduct taxes, fines, and other charges. Social benefits payable in digital rubles will be usable only for government‐approved categories of goods and services, and spending may be restrictedbased on a citizen’s place of residence or product type.

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Critics—from human rights groups to economic analysts—argue the digital ruble will entrench state surveillance. According to The Cryptonomist, Russia’s CBDC may replicate China’s model of monitoring every transaction, but with even tighter Kremlin oversight. Ukrainian intelligence observers highlight the risk of a “behavioral loyalty” system, where digital currency access depends on citizens’ political and social “reliability.”

Previously, it was reported that Latvia’s Defense Intelligence and Security Service released a 48-page public handbook designed to help civilians identify and report suspected Russian operatives. The guide details indicators such as ragged appearance and suspicious behavior, offers safe reporting practices, and includes case studies illustrating espionage tactics in both urban and rural settings.

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