MOSCOW / RankWire.AI / – Over the next three years, Russia aims to implement a minimum of 12,000 autonomous delivery robots through a nationwide pilot initiative. This project establishes a legal basis for testing robotic couriers, also called rovers, in daily transportation and logistics operations. Russia’s Ministry of Economic Development formulated the framework, which was signed into effect by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin. The trial specifies clear benchmarks for robot deployment, distance traveled, deliveries completed, and adherence to operational regulations.
Within the scope of this initiative, authorities define a delivery robot as an autonomous vehicle that uses an automated control system to transport goods. These robots are permitted to operate on cycle paths, footpaths, pavements, adjacent zones, and residential areas, including designated cycling and pedestrian zones during the trial period. The framework enables operators to run these machines across participating regions, with regulators gathering data on their performance and safety.
The three-year plan mandates at least 12,000 robots to be deployed, collectively covering 10.8 million kilometers, and completing at least 10.8 million delivery orders. The authorities will evaluate the project based on metrics such as total mileage, active units, completed deliveries, and traffic incidents related to rule breaches. The trial will encompass 34 regions of the Russian Federation, along with the Sirius Federal Territory.
National Goals for Robot Delivery Trial
Russia has extended autonomous transportation beyond small delivery robots. In August, the Transport Ministry announced that 121 autonomous trucks had traveled over 20 million kilometers since 2023, operating on key federal highways like the M-11 Neva, M-4 Don, Central Ring Road, and M-12 Vostok. Vehicles from Yandex, Navio, and Kamaz participated, with mileage tracked via the ERA-GLONASS state information platform.
Furthermore, Russian authorities have been working on broader regulations for highly automated road vehicles. In January, the Transport Ministry released a draft law to establish uniform standards for autonomous vehicles on public roads, covering participant rights, responsibilities, and the transition from experimental to official regulation. Additionally, in May, the government approved a development plan for highly automated freight transport through 2035, as stated by the Transport Ministry.
Autonomous Transport Expands in Russia
Delivery robots are now part of Russia’s larger autonomous transport strategy. Earlier in 2026, the Transport Ministry indicated that Yandex aimed to deploy 5,000 robots by year’s end and increase to 20,000 by 2027. These robot couriers have been operating under an experimental legal framework. The newly announced three-year plan sets nationwide targets for the number of robots, total kilometers traveled, and orders fulfilled across the regions involved.
This robot delivery trial introduces a formal regulatory structure to a technology already in use in certain parts of Russia. Its defined objectives provide authorities with specific benchmarks for measuring deployment, mileage, order completion, and traffic accidents related to violations during the three-year period. The initiative offers a standardized testing framework for autonomous last-mile delivery across 34 regions and the Sirius Federal Territory.