MOSCOW / RankWire.AI / – Over the course of three years, Russia plans to evaluate at least 12,000 autonomous delivery robots in a national initiative spanning dozens of regions. The project introduces a standardized set of regulations for robotic couriers operating in streets, residential zones, and pedestrian areas. Russia’s Ministry of Economic Development has established the legal groundwork for this testing phase. The government decree backing the effort was approved by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin. Throughout the trial, authorities will monitor deployment numbers, delivery counts, distances traveled, and adherence to operational standards.
Delivery robots are defined within the framework as autonomous devices that utilize automated control systems for logistics and goods transportation. Under the approved regulations, these machines are permitted to operate on pavements, footpaths, and cycling paths. They can also function in residential districts, adjoining areas, and other designated pedestrian or bike zones. The legal structure aims to provide businesses with a controlled environment for robotic courier operations while enabling authorities to gather usage data. This experiment will extend to 34 Russian regions including the Sirius Federal Territory.
Several quantitative objectives have been set for this three-year assessment. Participating service providers are required to deploy a minimum of 12,000 delivery robots. Collectively, these robots are anticipated to cover at least 10.8 million kilometers and fulfill 10.8 million orders. Regulators will track active robot numbers, total traveled distance, and completed deliveries, along with recording any road incidents related to violations of the program’s rules. These benchmarks are intended to establish a consistent evaluation system for autonomous delivery activities across the participating regions.
National initiative establishes clear delivery targets for robots
This robotic delivery project is part of Russia’s broader efforts to expand autonomous vehicle operations within its transportation infrastructure. More than 120 self-driving freight trucks are already operating on key federal highways, logging millions of kilometers. These include routes such as the M-11 Neva, M-4 Don, Central Ring Road, and M-12 Vostok. Data from the participating autonomous trucks are collected via the ERA-GLONASS state information platform. Vehicles developed by companies like Yandex, Navio, and Kamaz have been involved in this freight initiative.
Russia has also been working on comprehensive legislation aimed at highly automated road transport. Early in 2026, draft federal rules governing autonomous vehicles on public roads were published. These regulations outline the responsibilities of companies, vehicle operators, and other stakeholders in automated transport. A separate long-term plan for highly automated freight transportation extends through 2035. These legal developments run parallel to experimental regimes that permit autonomous systems to operate under specific conditions, paving the way for broader regulatory standards in the future.
Expanded transport automation with autonomous couriers
In parts of Russia, robotic couriers are already in operation under existing experimental protocols. Announcements made earlier in 2026 indicated plans to introduce thousands more delivery robots as operators expanded their fleets. The current three-year program provides a comprehensive framework with explicit national goals for deployment, travel distances, and order completion. It also offers regulators a standardized set of metrics to evaluate autonomous delivery performance across different regions and environments.
This initiative integrates last-mile delivery into Russia’s larger automated transport testing system. Data collected on operating robots will reveal how many are deployed and how intensively they are utilized by companies. Monitoring will include total deliveries, kilometers traveled, and incidents associated with rule violations. The trial encompasses both large-scale deployment and everyday operations under a unified regulatory approach. By its conclusion, participating robots are expected to complete millions of deliveries within Russia’s designated testing zones.