A new version of Rules for Registering Domain Names in the .RU and .РФ Domains is to enter into force on August 11, 2025. The document was approved on July 2, 2025 by a decision of the General Meeting of Founders of the National Internet Domain Coordination Center (Protocol of the General Meeting of Founders of the National Internet Domain Coordination Center No. 35, dated July 2, 2025).
The amended Rules make it possible to register domain names in Russian and in other national languages of the Russian Federation. The Rules feature a new enlarged annex to the Rules, titled List of Cyrillic Symbols for Use as Domain Names in the TLD .РФ.
In 2024, the Coordination Center for TLD .RU/.RF assessed demand for integrating symbols of languages of Russia in the .РФ zone. It was noted that national languages were being used rather actively online, but certain native speakers were sometimes unable to use additional Cyrillic letters or symbols. From now on, the TLD .РФ makes it possible to use additional symbols, including 25 new letters, such as Ӑ, Ҕ, Ҫ, Ҥ, Җ, Ҙ, Ң, Ӧ, Ҡ, Ӳ and other letters, and register domains in 17 languages used in Russia. Adding new symbols to the Russian alphabet is in demand, which will boost the number of Russian internet users and uphold the principle of multilingualism and cultural diversity in the Russian internet segment.
Additionally, the Rules were amended due to the need to protect domain names registries in the event of threats to their functionality and/or efficiency, their operational safety or announcements of special periods of operation on communication networks.
