June 24, 2025

Russky Letters Only!


Russky Letters Only!
Outta here: a bilingual Russian-English exit sign. Georg Pik, Wikimedia Commons.

On June 17, the State Duma approved a new law banning all signs from containing letters or inscriptions in another language. According to the authors of the law, its goal is "protecting the Russian language from excessive use of borrowings in the public space."

The law requires the mandatory use of Russian language in all commercial spaces and for distribution of information to consumers. Therefore, all signs, pointers, information boards, labels, and advertising must be in Russian and Cyrillic exclusively. Yet the law allows languages of minority ethnic groups in Russia to continue to be in inscriptions alongside the federal official tongue.

For instance, Russians will no longer experience the excitement of reading "sale" on display windows. Instead, they will be greeted with signs reading "rasprodazha" ("discount").

The law also stipulates that all construction developers must use Cyrillic when writing names of new residential complexes and buildings. Head of the Duma's Committee on Culture Olga Kazakova said the rules do not apply to company names and trademarks.

Russia's attempts to remove English and the Latin script from its signs isn't new. Since 2021, the Moscow metro stopped announcing stations in English. After 2023, the Ministry of Transportation proposed to use inscriptions in Russian only for all diagrams and signs of the metro, funiculars, monorails, and cable cars.

The law will take effect on March 1, 2026. Whether or not it applies to military vehicles is yet to be seen.

You Might Also Like

Words STILL Matter
  • March 01, 2025

Words STILL Matter

Those with a careful eye will note that we have a very specific way of referring to the conflict in Ukraine: Russia’s War on Ukraine.
One for the Books
  • May 11, 2025

One for the Books

2024's Victory Day parade was a bit of a dud. 2025's more than made up for it.
With Prayers and Drones
  • April 28, 2025

With Prayers and Drones

Dozens of Orthodox military-patriotic clubs across Russia prepare children for war.
A Posthumous Conviction
  • April 30, 2025

A Posthumous Conviction

Mikhail Khachaturian, murdered by his daughters, was posthumously convicted of sexual violence.
Finn-ancial Crisis?
  • April 14, 2025

Finn-ancial Crisis?

The Finnish parliament has passed a law forbidding Russians from owning real estate in the country.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

Little Golden Calf
February 01, 2010

Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.

Russian Rules
November 16, 2011

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.

Life Stories
September 01, 2009

Life Stories

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.

How Russia Got That Way
September 20, 2025

How Russia Got That Way

A fast-paced crash course in Russian history, from Norsemen to Navalny, that explores the ways the Kremlin uses history to achieve its ends.

Faith & Humor
December 01, 2011

Faith & Humor

A book that dares to explore the humanity of priests and pilgrims, saints and sinners, Faith & Humor has been both a runaway bestseller in Russia and the focus of heated controversy – as often happens when a thoughtful writer takes on sacred cows. The stories, aphorisms, anecdotes, dialogues and adventures in this volume comprise an encyclopedia of modern Russian Orthodoxy, and thereby of Russian life.

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas
October 01, 2013

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.

 
Murder at the Dacha
July 01, 2013

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.

Steppe
July 15, 2022

Steppe

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.

The Samovar Murders
November 01, 2019

The Samovar Murders

The murder of a poet is always more than a murder. When a famous writer is brutally stabbed on the campus of Moscow’s Lumumba University, the son of a recently deposed African president confesses, and the case assumes political implications that no one wants any part of.

About Us

Russian Life is the 31-year-old publication of an award-winning publishing house that also creates books, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955