Putin signs law establishing legal framework for large foundational AI models in Russia
On July 26, 2026, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed legislation creating a legal framework for developing, deploying, and applying large foundational AI models in Russia. The law introduces two model categories — "sovereign" (fully developed and controlled by a Russian legal entity, hosted in Russian data centers) and "national" (developed by a Russian entity but may include foreign open-licensed components) — both requiring at least one billion parameters and compliance with Russian law.
Why it matters
This is the first dedicated Russian legal framework specifically regulating large foundational AI models, granting developers access to state data for training and formalizing government support mechanisms, which will shape how Yandex, Sber, MTS AI, and other domestic labs build and position their models going forward.
Importance: 4/5
First dedicated Russian AI regulatory framework, confirmed by 4 independent outlets.