The authorities can make Russians register their mobile phones by serial number, charging a fee from buyers of new smartphones.
The registration of smartphones for a fee can start from July 1, 2021. The new tax rate will be set by the government, but the first version of the bill stipulates no more than RUR 100 ($1.36), Kommersant reports.
Second-hand smartphones, on the other hand, can be registered free of charge. Also, smartphones with SIM cards procured for state needs will be exempt from the requirement.
Any unregistered smartphone can be blocked by the service provider. The purpose is to block stolen devices, but this will not be technologically possible until 2024.