Things are getting very digital in Russia. For your reading convenience I have decided to compile important updates about Russia’s “digital transformation” into a single blog post. Thank you for reading and have a relaxing Friday.
PUTIN SIGNS DECREE ON CREATION OF A “DIGITAL” DOMESTIC PASSPORT
Last Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin approved a plan that will allow Russians to use a digital ID instead of a paper one. The “digital [domestic] passport” (Russia has a domestic passport system) will be stored on the State Services (Gosuslugi) mobile application.
Putin’s decree gives the government three months to compile a list of situations in which a digital ID is a valid form of identification.
Officials have stressed that the digital passport is completely voluntary and no one will be penalized for using a paper ID.
The scheme can be traced back to 2021, when the Ministry of Digital Development proposed the creation of a new form of ID—a physical card with a chip that would replace the paper passport. However, the plan was abandoned because the identity cards were too expensive to make. Last year, Putin instructed the ministry to draft a decree for the introduction of a digital ID.
Katyusha.org commented on the introduction of this new QR code-based ID system:
It should also be noted that although proponents insist a digital passport is more convenient than a boring paper one, a growing number of Russians feel uneasy about the introduction of electronic identity papers.
Read More: Inside Russia’s “digital transformation”
