Russia bans use of foreign words in commercial activity – intelligence
According to Ukrinform, the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine stated this on its website.
"New rules regarding the use of foreign words in commercial activities have been in effect in Russia since March. From now on, all signs, advertising materials, and product descriptions on websites and marketplaces must be exclusively in Russian. The Latin alphabet and 'insufficiently Russian' words in Cyrillic are banned," the statement said.
According to the intelligence service, the new regulation has become a serious financial burden for businesses.
"For entrepreneurs, this is a real blow to their budgets. Small businesses are forced to urgently update signs, menus, packaging, and websites, spending tens of thousands of rubles just on design and printing. Large chains are facing costs in millions, as they have to redesign hundreds of shops and advertising materials."
According to the intelligence service, small business owners are already complaining that changing signage and branding "eats up" several months of income. For example, studios and cafes are forced to completely revise their branding and even change their names because previous terms do not comply with the new rules.
Attempts to protect familiar names by registering trademarks often fail, which increases the costs even further.
In addition to financial pressure, the law also creates legal uncertainty. Business owners cannot clearly determine which words are permitted and which are considered "non-standard." Fines for violations can reach hundreds of thousands of rubles for companies.
"For small businesses, this is the new reality: the high cost of rebranding, red tape, and the constant fear of authorities who monitor every move. A new government initiative effectively turns every shopfront sign into a potential financial trap," the intelligence service noted.
As previously reported by Ukrinform, key economic data have been removed from open access in Russia, which indicates efforts to conceal the real state of the country's economy.
