Digital Crime Liability in Russia May Be Placed on Banks and Telecom Operators

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The Russian government plans to enhance the protection of citizens in the digital environment. The main element of the new measures will be an interdepartmental document, which is scheduled to be developed by the end of 2026. Its purpose is to consolidate the efforts of all government agencies, transforming the fight against digital crimes from a set of fragmented measures into a unified, proactive system.

The new measures are aimed not only at accelerating investigations but also at increasing the effectiveness of preventing cybercrimes.

For operational management of this work, a federal headquarters will be established. The initiative for its formation and staffing is entrusted to the Ministry of Digital Development, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Federal Security Service, and Roskomnadzor.

The technological basis of the system will be a unified platform for collecting and analyzing data on digital crimes. It will be deployed on the basis of the state information system GIS "Antifraud." This solution will allow real-time aggregation of information from various sources, identifying schemes and connections of fraudsters.

The package of measures to be implemented is aimed at blocking the main channels for criminals:

• Banks, telecom operators, digital platforms, and government agencies will receive standardized procedures for exchanging information through the GIS "Antifraud."
• Measures against individuals providing fraudsters with access to bank accounts and SIM cards ("droppers") will be strengthened.
• Telecom operators will be required to strictly adhere to client identification rules. Violations and failure to implement anti-fraud measures will result in stricter sanctions.

A fundamentally new norm is also being introduced—telecom operators and banks may be held jointly liable for damages to citizens if it is proven that they did not take all possible measures to prevent fraud.

A separate government directive concerns informing the population. The Ministry of Digital Development is tasked with organizing regular educational work on new types of cyber threats and protective measures, as well as establishing a systematic collection and analysis of feedback from citizens to continuously adjust policies in this area.