Time in Russia
Russia spans eleven time zones from Kaliningrad to Kamchatka. These zones range from UTC+02:00 to UTC+12:00. About 63% of the Russian population lives in Moscow Time, which is UTC+03:00. The westernmost zone covers Kaliningrad Oblast with a population of over one million people. The easternmost zone serves Chukotka and Kamchatka Krai with fewer than 340,000 residents.
Until Saturday, the 7th of October 1867 at 3:30 p.m. GMT+14:59, most of Russia observed solar time. Alaska belonged to Russia until that date when it used the Julian calendar. This calendar was 11 or 12 days behind the Gregorian calendar used elsewhere in Russia. Local times in New Archangel reached up to GMT+15:10. During the late 19th century, Moscow Mean Time appeared on the 1st of January 1880 at GMT+02:30:17. That offset corresponds to the longitude of Moscow. Russia adopted the Gregorian calendar in 1918 when Wednesday the 31st of January followed Thursday the 14th of February. This change dropped 13 days from the calendar.
On the 21st of June 1930, the Soviet Union advanced all clocks by one hour. This effectively made the nation run on daylight saving time all year. The Council of People's Commissars issued a decree moving clocks forward from the 21st of June to the 30th of September. Later this became known as decree time. The extension occurred due to a lack of electricity caused by overloading power plants in winter evening hours. In 1931, the Supreme Council of the National Economy proposed moving clocks forward another hour. The State Planning Committee opposed this proposal. A return to standard time planned for 1935 never happened.
Russia and most republics in the Soviet Union abolished decree time on the 31st of March 1991. Russia reversed this decision the following year except Samara Oblast which was already in UTC+04:00. On the 20th of October 1991, Samara Oblast changed its time zone from MSK to MSK+1. Novosibirsk Oblast changed its time zone from MSK+4 to MSK+3 on the 23rd of May 1993. Altai Krai and Altai Republic switched from MSK+4 to MSK+3 on the 28th of May 1995. Sakhalin Oblast moved from MSK+8 to MSK+7 on the 30th of March 1997. Tomsk Oblast shifted from MSK+4 to MSK+3 in May 2002. These changes created a fragmented system across the country.
Decree No. 725 of the 31st of August 2011 changed the UTC offset for Moscow Time and other zones. Moscow Time began using UTC+04:00 all year around. The notions of decree time and daylight saving time were abolished but permanent daylight saving time remained in effect. Almost all of Russia moved back one hour on the 26th of October 2014 following another law change. Moscow Time returned to UTC+03:00 permanently. Some areas kept their offsets different from Moscow. Udmurtia and Samara Oblast stayed on UTC+04:00. Zabaykalsky Krai moved back two hours to UTC+08:00. Magadan Oblast moved back two hours to UTC+10:00. Chukotka Autonomous Okrug and Kamchatka Krai remained on UTC+12:00.
Time zone changes occurred on the 28th of March 2016 affecting multiple regions. Astrakhan and Ulyanovsk oblasts moved forward one hour from UTC+03:00 to UTC+04:00. Altai Krai and Altai Republic advanced from UTC+06:00 to UTC+07:00. Sakhalin Oblast shifted from UTC+10:00 to UTC+11:00 except Severo-Kurilsky District. Magadan Oblast moved forward one hour from UTC+10:00 to UTC+11:00 on the 24th of April 2016. Novosibirsk Oblast changed from UTC+06:00 to UTC+07:00 on the 24th of July 2016. After the Russian annexation of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia oblasts in September 2022, parts under Russian administration stayed on Moscow Time. In April 2023, the time zone law formally included these oblasts in Moscow Time.
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Common questions
How many time zones does Russia span from Kaliningrad to Kamchatka?
Russia spans eleven time zones from Kaliningrad to Kamchatka. These zones range from UTC+02:00 to UTC+12:00.
When did most of Russia observe solar time before switching to standard time?
Until Saturday the 7th of October 1867 at 3:30 p.m. GMT+14:59, most of Russia observed solar time. This period ended when Alaska belonged to Russia and used the Julian calendar which was 11 or 12 days behind the Gregorian calendar.
Why did the Soviet Union advance all clocks by one hour on the 21st of June 1930?
The extension occurred due to a lack of electricity caused by overloading power plants in winter evening hours. The Council of People's Commissars issued a decree moving clocks forward from the 21st of June to the 30th of September to address this issue.
What changes happened to Moscow Time after Decree No. 725 of the 31st of August 2011?
Moscow Time began using UTC+04:00 all year around following Decree No. 725 of the 31st of August 2011. Almost all of Russia moved back one hour on the 26th of October 2014 returning Moscow Time to UTC+03:00 permanently.
Which regions changed their time zone status after the Russian annexation of Donetsk Kherson Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia oblasts in September 2022?
Parts under Russian administration stayed on Moscow Time after the Russian annexation of Donetsk Kherson Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia oblasts in September 2022. In April 2023, the time zone law formally included these oblasts in Moscow Time.