MOSCOW / RankWire.AI / – Over the next three years, Russia aims to roll out at least 12,000 autonomous delivery robots as part of a nationwide pilot project. This initiative establishes a legal basis for testing robotic couriers, also called rovers, within everyday transportation and logistics operations. Russia’s Ministry of Economic Development prepared the framework, which was approved by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin. The pilot program sets clear goals for robot deployment, total travel distance, delivery completion numbers, and adherence to operational guidelines.
Within this scheme, authorities define a delivery robot as an autonomous vehicle equipped with an automated control system for transporting goods. These robots are permitted to operate on cycle paths, footpaths, pavements, as well as in adjacent and residential zones. They are also allowed to use designated cycling and pedestrian areas during the trial period. The framework enables operators to run these machines across participating regions while regulators gather data on their performance and safety.
The three-year initiative mandates that at least 12,000 robots be put into service, covering a combined distance of 10.8 million kilometres. During this period, operators are required to complete a minimum of 10.8 million delivery orders. The authorities will evaluate the success of the project based on mileage, active robot counts, total orders fulfilled, and traffic incidents related to rule violations. The trial will include 34 regions of the Russian Federation plus the Sirius Federal Territory.
National Delivery Robot Pilot Aims for Specific Operational Goals
Russia has already expanded its autonomous transportation efforts beyond small delivery robots. In August, the Transport Ministry reported that 121 autonomous trucks had traveled over 20 million kilometres since 2023. These vehicles operated on major federal highways, including the M-11 Neva, M-4 Don, Central Ring Road, and M-12 Vostok. The ministry noted that trucks from Yandex, Navio, and Kamaz participated, with mileage tracked via the ERA-GLONASS state information platform.
Russia is also working on broader regulations for highly automated vehicles on public roads. In January, the Transport Ministry released a draft federal law aiming to set unified requirements for autonomous vehicles. This legislation addresses rights and responsibilities of participants and facilitates the transition from experimental operations to formal regulation. In May, the government approved a development plan for highly automated freight transport extending to 2035, according to the Transport Ministry.
Autonomous Transport Solutions Are Growing in Russia’s Logistics Sector
Delivery robots are now part of Russia’s broader autonomous transportation strategy. Earlier in 2026, the Transport Ministry announced 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 are operating under an experimental legal regime. The new three-year plan sets specific national targets for robot numbers, total kilometres traveled, and completed deliveries across participating regions.
This trial introduces a formal regulatory framework to a technology already in use in some parts of Russia. Its targets provide clear benchmarks for authorities to measure deployment progress and compliance during the program’s duration. Regulators will monitor the number of machines in service, distance traveled, completed orders, and traffic accidents related to violations. The initiative creates a unified testing standard for autonomous last-mile delivery across 34 regions and the Sirius Federal Territory.