The Russian Ministry of Justice has proposed criminal penalties for illegal cryptocurrency mining, with a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

According to Odaily, the Russian Ministry of Justice recently submitted a draft amendment to the Criminal Code aimed at cracking down on unregistered illegal cryptocurrency mining in the country. The draft amendment stipulates that illegal mining activities could be subject to fines of up to 1.5 million rubles (approximately US$19,000) or up to two years of forced labor.

If illegal mining activities involve substantial profits, the maximum penalty is five years imprisonment, along with a fine of up to 2.5 million rubles (approximately US$31,800) or 480 hours of forced labor. The amendment also sets a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment or forced labor for the substantial profits realized by illegal "organizational groups."

Russian Deputy Finance Minister Ivan Chebeskov stated that as of June 19, 2025, only about 30% of cryptocurrency miners had completed registration and legalized their operations, with the majority remaining in a "grey area." Under current regulations, individual miners consuming less than 6,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity per month do not need to register but are still required to pay personal income tax. (Cointelegraph)