Russian authorities, including local governments, subordinate organizations and courts, are required to create and maintain an account on VKontakte or Odnoklassniki. The order to this effect was signed by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.
As stated on the government website, the new requirement comes into force on December 1, 2022. Departments can choose any of the two social networks.
The innovation was adopted as part of the July amendments to the law "On ensuring access to information on the activities of state bodies and local governments." According to it, government agencies should talk about their work on official pages in approved social networks. In particular, they are required to publish reports, comment, and provide up-to-date contact details.
In April, the Ministry of Digital Development of Russia published a list of Russian analogues of social networks, instant messengers and various services. VKontakte and Odnoklassniki became one of the few social networks approved by the department. In total, the recommendations are divided into 15 categories, including video communication programs, antiviruses, browsers, marketplaces, etc.