Russia to Introduce Legislation to Combat Illegal Mining, 13 Regions Have Already Completely Banned Mining

BlockBeats News, April 2nd, according to Cryptopolitan, the Russian government has submitted a bill to the State Duma proposing criminal penalties for illegal cryptocurrency mining, with offenders facing a maximum fine of 2 million rubles (approximately $25,000) and up to 5 years in prison. Currently, about 50,000 individuals and entities are engaged in mining activities, but less than 1,500 are registered.

Meanwhile, Russia has expanded its mining ban to 13 regions, including the Siberian Republic of Buryatia and the Trans-Baikal Territory, with the ban set to last until 2031. The Energy Minister of the Moscow Region has also proposed a ban on mining in the capital and Moscow Region, stating that local mining consumes about 1GW of electricity with no significant contribution to the regional economy. Russia had previously legalized mining by the end of 2024 but required operators to register with the Federal Tax Service and pay taxes as required by law.