MOSCOW / RankWire.AI / – Russia is set to introduce a plan to operate at least 12,000 autonomous delivery robots over the next three years as part of a nationwide pilot program. The initiative establishes a legal basis for testing robotic couriers, also called rovers, within daily transportation and logistics services. Russia’s Ministry of Economic Development developed the framework, which was approved by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin when signing the government decree. The trial includes specific objectives for robot deployment, total travel distance, number of deliveries completed, and adherence to operational regulations.
Within this initiative, the authorities define a delivery robot as an autonomous vehicle that employs an automated control system to transport goods. These robots may operate on cycle paths, sidewalks, pavements, as well as in nearby zones and residential neighborhoods. They are also permitted to use designated cycling and pedestrian pathways during the trial phase. The legal framework permits operators to run the machines across participating regions, while regulators collect data on their safety and performance.
The three-year plan aims for a minimum of 12,000 robots to be operational, covering a combined distance of 10.8 million kilometres. During this period, operators are required to complete at least 10.8 million delivery orders. Success will be measured based on mileage covered, active units in service, number of completed deliveries, and traffic accidents related to rule violations. The trial will encompass 34 regions of the Russian Federation along with the Sirius Federal Territory.
National operational goals set through robot delivery experiment
Russia has already extended its use of autonomous transportation beyond small delivery robots. The Transport Ministry announced in August that 121 autonomous trucks had covered more than 20 million kilometres since 2023. These vehicles operated on major federal routes, including the M-11 Neva, M-4 Don, Central Ring Road, and M-12 Vostok. The ministry specified that trucks from Yandex, Navio, and Kamaz participated in the operation, with mileage tracked via the ERA-GLONASS state information platform.
Russia’s authorities are also working on comprehensive regulations for highly automated vehicles. In January, the Transport Ministry released a draft federal law aimed at establishing uniform requirements for autonomous vehicles on public roads. This proposal covers rights and responsibilities of participants and addresses the transition from experimental trials to official regulation. In May, the government approved a development strategy for highly automated freight transport extending through 2035, according to the Transport Ministry.
Expansion of autonomous logistics across Russia’s transportation network
Delivery robots are now part of Russia’s broader autonomous transportation initiatives. Earlier in 2026, the Transport Ministry indicated that Yandex planned to deploy 5,000 delivery robots by the end of the year and increase to 20,000 by 2027. The ministry also noted that robot couriers have been operating under an experimental legal regime. The new three-year plan sets nationwide targets for the number of robots, total kilometres traveled, and completed orders across participating regions.
This robot delivery trial adds a formal regulatory framework to a technology already being used in some parts of Russia. Its specific targets provide authorities with concrete benchmarks for measuring deployment, compliance, and safety over the course of three years. Regulators will monitor the number of robots brought into service, their total travel distance, orders fulfilled, and traffic incidents linked to violations. The programme creates a unified testing standard for autonomous last-mile delivery across 34 regions and the Sirius Federal Territory.