Yuri Kobzar21:34, 11.02.25

The restrictions will affect businesses that use the wrong words in advertising.

The Russian State Duma has approved in the first reading a bill banning the use of foreign words in the public sphere, The Moscow Times reports .

The restrictions will affect advertising, media, trade, services and construction. In particular, the use of foreign words will be prohibited in signs, labels, names of residential complexes and settlements. 

“Shops will no longer be able to decorate their windows with signs such as coffee, sale, open, etc.,” the publication notes. 

At the same time, Russian deputies have provided for a number of “relaxations”. Thus, entrepreneurs will be allowed to duplicate information in foreign languages, but only as an “exact” translation from Russian. Also, the law does not yet apply to existing names. 

The deputies explained the necessity of such a law by the desire to “protect” the Russian language from “anglicisms”. Thus, the explanatory note to the document states that in Russia there is an “aggressive active use” of foreign words in the commercial sphere, which allegedly contradicts Putin’s policy.

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