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Russian Federation Country Summary

Sanctions

EU & US sanctions in place

FATF AML Deficient List

No

Terrorism
Corruption
US State ML Assessment
Criminal Markets (GI Index)
EU Tax Blacklist
Offshore Finance Center

Please note that although the below Summary will give a general outline of the AML risks associated with the jurisdiction, if you are a Regulated entity then you may need to demonstrate that your Jurisdictional AML risk assessment has included a full assessment of the risk elements that have been identified as underpinning overall Country AML risk. To satisfy these requirements, we would recommend that you use our Subscription area.

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Anti Money Laundering

FATF Status

The Russian Federation is not on the FATF list of AML Deficient countries, however, due to the invasion of Ukraine, FATF has suspended the FATF membership of the Russian Federation.

Compliance with FATF Recommendations

The last Mutual Evaluation Report relating to the implementation of anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing standards in Russia was undertaken in 2024. According to that Evaluation, Russia was deemed Compliant for 6 and Largely Compliant for 31 of the FATF 40 Recommendations. It remains Highly Effective for 2 and Substantially Effective for 4 with regard to the 11 areas of Effectiveness of its AML/CFT Regime.

Sanctions

As a UN member, Russia must support UN sanctions aimed at maintaining international peace and security. The UN has established 31 sanctions regimes since 1966, which include various measures like economic sanctions and arms embargoes, with 15 ongoing regimes as of October 2023. These sanctions are designed to consider the rights of those targeted and are often part of broader strategies that include peacekeeping and peacebuilding efforts.

In response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the US and its allies have imposed extensive sanctions targeting major Russian financial institutions and individuals. These sanctions aim to isolate Russia from the global financial system and disrupt its economic activities, while also addressing attempts by Russia to circumvent these sanctions through intermediary countries.

Bribery & Corruption

Rating 0 (bad) - 100 (good)
Transparency International Corruption Index 26
World Bank: Control of Corruption Percentile Rank 16

Corruption in Russia remains a significant issue despite government efforts to combat it, with Transparency International ranking the country 129th out of 180 in its 2020 Corruption Perception Index. A substantial percentage of entrepreneurs report facing corruption, particularly in public procurement and during inspections. Although there have been some prosecutions and recoveries related to corruption, the lack of effective whistleblower protection and the politicized judicial system hinder meaningful progress in addressing these challenges.

Economy

The Russian Federation ranks 28th out of 190 economies in the World Bank’s Doing Business 2020 Report, indicating some regulatory improvements, although significant structural issues persist that hinder foreign direct investment. The judicial system is heavily biased towards the state, and high levels of corruption among officials exacerbate the risks for investors. Additionally, ongoing EU and U.S. sanctions since 2014 have further restricted business activities and increased operational costs.

The investment climate in the Russian Federation is characterized by significant challenges for foreign investors, including a biased judicial system favoring the state and high levels of corruption among government officials. Despite some regulatory improvements, ongoing issues such as the import substitution program that advantages local producers and the impact of EU and U.S. sanctions continue to deter foreign direct investment. Additionally, the Strategic Sectors Law imposes restrictions on foreign investments in key sectors, complicating the investment landscape.

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