Telephone numbers in Russia
Roskomnadzor manages Russia's national telephone numbering plan alongside the Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media. These two bodies oversee a closed system where every subscriber number contains exactly ten digits. The structure divides numbers into three levels: local, zone, country, and international routing codes. A fixed format applies to all assigned telephones within the federation. This administrative control ensures uniformity across vast distances from Kaliningrad to Kamchatka.
The International Telecommunication Union originally assigned country code 7 to the Soviet Union before its dissolution in 1991. Fifteen successor states inherited this single code after the breakup occurred that year. Most nations switched to new individual codes ranging from 3xx to 9xx between 1993 and 1998. Only Russia and Kazakhstan retained the original digit seven for their systems. This shared arrangement designates specific area codes for routing calls between Moscow and Almaty.
Domestic callers dial eight followed by an area code and then seven subscriber digits. An example sequence looks like 8 499 xxx-xx-xx when calling Moscow on a fixed line. International callers entering Russia use plus seven followed by the three-digit area code. Pre-selected operators allow users to dial 8-10 before the destination number for London or other foreign cities. The system supports both tone-based sequences and direct international prefixes starting with plus.
A new range of codes beginning with four started on the 1st of December 2005 to replace older zero-prefixed numbers. The old code 095 expired on the 31st of January 2006 along with nineteen other Russian area codes starting with zero. This transition aligned local practices with ITU recommendations regarding 0 and 00 dialing prefixes. Regional assignments now cover federal subjects from Adygea to Zabaykalsky Krai without overlap. Each region receives unique identifiers such as 343 for Sverdlovsk Oblast or 812 for Saint Petersburg.
Numbers starting with nine designate mobile networks operated by MTS, MegaFon, t2, and Beeline. Specific ranges like 900 through 953 serve these commercial carriers across the country. Emergency services utilize short codes including 101 for fire brigades and 102 for police units. A unified emergency line 112 entered pilot mode in 2014 before full operational status arrived in 2016. Toll-free calls use the prefix 800 while premium rate services begin with 809.
Crimea and Sevastopol joined the Russian numbering plan following annexation events in 2014. Four additional oblasts including Donetsk and Kherson were integrated on the 7th of May 2022 after political changes occurred that year. New area codes replaced former Ukrainian identifiers like 65 for Crimea or 62 for Donetsk People's Republic. These assignments allow direct dialing from Moscow to Simferopol using code 365. The transition required updating routing tables to accommodate the new geographic designations within zone seven.
Abkhazian numbers switched from Georgian codes to Russian zone 7 starting the 1st of January 2010. This change followed a Memorandum of Cooperation signed between Russia and Abkhazia on the 28th of September 2009. Prior agreements limited international communications to just sixteen outgoing channels by April 1996. South Ossetia adopted codes 850 and 929 to align with the Russian system. Both regions now access global networks through country code 7 assigned by the International Telecommunication Union.
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Common questions
Who manages Russia's national telephone numbering plan?
Roskomnadzor manages Russia's national telephone numbering plan alongside the Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media. These two bodies oversee a closed system where every subscriber number contains exactly ten digits.
When did Russia start using country code 7 for its telephone systems?
The International Telecommunication Union originally assigned country code 7 to the Soviet Union before its dissolution in 1991. Only Russia and Kazakhstan retained the original digit seven for their systems after most nations switched to new individual codes between 1993 and 1998.
What happened to Russian area codes starting with zero on the 31st of January 2006?
The old code 095 expired on the 31st of January 2006 along with nineteen other Russian area codes starting with zero. A new range of codes beginning with four started on the 1st of December 2005 to replace older zero-prefixed numbers.
Which regions joined the Russian numbering plan following annexation events in 2014?
Crimea and Sevastopol joined the Russian numbering plan following annexation events in 2014. New area codes replaced former Ukrainian identifiers like 65 for Crimea or 62 for Donetsk People's Republic to allow direct dialing from Moscow to Simferopol using code 365.
When did Abkhazian numbers switch from Georgian codes to Russian zone 7?
Abkhazian numbers switched from Georgian codes to Russian zone 7 starting the 1st of January 2010. This change followed a Memorandum of Cooperation signed between Russia and Abkhazia on the 28th of September 2009.