Where can I host a website in Russia in 2025? Legal requirements and clarifications.

In 2025, the issue of hosting a website in Russia is not only technical but also legal.
Hosting and personal data laws directly affect where a server can be located, who can provide services, and what data can be stored abroad.

What is hosting and a server – in simple terms

Hosting is a service that hosts a website on a server. A server is a powerful computer that is constantly connected to the internet and responds to user requests when they access your website.

If your website is hosted on a server in Russia, it “physically resides” in a Russian data center.
If it is hosted on a foreign server, the data passes through foreign infrastructure, which is already regulated by law.

1. Law on hosting providers

Since 2023, a regulation has been in effect in Russia stating that only Russian companies registered with the Roskomnadzor registry can act as hosting providers.

This means:

• The provider must be a legal entity established under Russian law.
• The company must be controlled by Russian citizens (at least 50%).
• All clients undergo mandatory identification—anonymous use of servers is no longer permitted.

If a website is hosted by a foreign provider not included in the registry, this may be legally considered a violation of the rules for providing communications services, and the site risks having its access restricted.

2. Law on Personal Data (152-FZ)

This is the key law determining where the data of Russian citizens must be stored.

According to 152-FZ:

• All personal data of Russian citizens (full names, contacts, orders, accounts, requests, etc.) must be primarily collected and stored within Russia.
• This rule applies to any website that has registration, feedback, subscription, or purchase forms.
• Storing copies or backups abroad is possible, but only if the primary database is located in Russia.

In other words: if you collect data from Russian citizens, your server hosting the database must be in a Russian data center.

3. Liability and Risks

Violation of these requirements may result in:

• site blocking by Roskomnadzor,
• fines for the legal entity and officials,
• inclusion of the resource in the registry of violators of personal data storage regulations.

If a website serves clients from Russia but uses foreign hosting (for example, a server in Europe or Asia), this creates a legal risk – even with complete technical security.

4. Where can the website actually be hosted?

From a practical standpoint, hosting in Russia means that:

• the server is located in a data center within the Russian Federation (Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Kazan, etc.);
• the provider has a Russian license and is included in the official registry;
• the contract stipulates that the data is stored and processed in Russia.

If your website is aimed exclusively at a foreign audience, you can use foreign hosting, but you must not collect personal data from Russian citizens.

Minimum Legal Requirements for Website Owners

To ensure your website complies with current legislation in 2025, you must:

1. Check the physical location of the server.
2. Ensure that the provider is registered in Russia.
3. Sign a hosting agreement that clearly specifies the location of the equipment and the parties processing the data.
4. Update your privacy policy and specify the country where personal data is stored.

Done! Now you know what to check and can easily verify everything using the prepared checklist.

Do you know where your hosting provider is located?