Putin Orders 10% Data Center Reserve for Russian Information Resources

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on November 2, 2026 requiring covered non-government data-center owners in Russia to reserve 10% of their floor space and capacity for Russian information resources, according to a Kremlin announcement.

The signed decree gives those owners no more than 10 days from its entry into force to make the reservation. The reserve is based on existing floor space and capacity at those facilities. It applies to data centers located in Russia and excludes owners that are federal or regional state bodies, local-government bodies, state or municipal unitary enterprises, or state or municipal institutions.

Reserve Activation and Governance

Covered data centers may continue using the reserved floor space and capacity until the designated subcommission orders their release. Once that decision is made, the resources must be provided within 24 hours to support information resources operating in Russia. The subcommission is responsible for uninterrupted operation of facilities in information technology and communications.

The decree’s preamble presents the measures as urgent steps in response to unfriendly actions by some foreign states. It identifies the supported information resources as those owned by Russian citizens and Russian legal entities. The decree labels the measures as temporary.

The Russian government must form the subcommission under the Government Commission for Digital Development and the Use of Information Technology. It must approve the subcommission’s statute and the procedures for decisions to release reserved domestic data-center resources. The government must also take the measures needed to implement the decree.

Fees and Foreign Computing Capacity

For services providing reserved floor space and capacity following a subcommission decision, the fee cannot exceed a maximum established by the subcommission. That provision applies to resources at data centers located in Russia.

A separate provision permits temporary use of computing capacity located outside Russia to ensure and support the operation of Russian information resources in connection with the stated foreign actions.

The government must approve procedures for those decisions on foreign computing capacity as part of its implementation duties.

Ministry Duties and Publication

The Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media must conduct an inventory of free floor space and capacity at data centers in Russia. The inventory uses the same scope, covering facilities whose owners are not the listed federal, regional, local, state or municipal bodies and entities.

The ministry must also approve mandatory requirements for owners of information resources concerning the reliability and uninterrupted operation of those resources.

The decree states that it enters into force on the day of its official publication. Russia’s official legal-publication portal records publication on the same day Putin signed it.

Under those terms, publication starts the reserve obligation, but an actual transfer of reserved floor space or capacity still requires a later subcommission decision.