Russian Post is ready to launch remote retail sales of wine produced from grapes grown in Russia across Moscow and the surrounding region. Mikhail Volkov, the head of the state postal operator, announced the company's operational readiness at the State Duma on November 11, Russian news agency TASS reported.
Lawmakers in the lower house of parliament were reviewing the draft legislation governing the pilot sales initiative during its first reading. The bill previously secured formal approval in October from the State Duma Committee on Economic Policy, marking an initial milestone in the legislative process.
Under the terms of the legislation, the Russian Ministry of Agriculture will be granted statutory authority to oversee the domestic winemakers participating in the trial. The ministry will establish and maintain an official register of authorized producers, set the criteria for admission, and determine the rules for processing applications.
Logistics and regulatory monitoring
Speaking about technical preparations for the launch, Volkov said Russian Post had already completed substantial integration and traceability work with Rosalkogoltabakkontrol, the federal alcohol and tobacco market regulator. He stated that the enterprise had prepared all necessary facilities for product storage and shipping, emphasizing that the postal operator maintains its own courier services to manage deliveries directly.
Russian Post is Russia's primary postal logistics operator, managing an extensive network of distribution hubs and tens of thousands of post offices nationwide. Remote alcohol sales and online delivery have historically faced strict legal prohibitions across the country, where authorities enforce centralized monitoring through digital systems to track liquor distribution and combat illicit trade.
Parliamentary approval and domestic wine
The proposed commercial experiment is limited exclusively to wines made from grapes cultivated on Russian soil, reflecting ongoing government efforts to encourage domestic viticulture and expand markets for regional winemakers.
Following the preliminary debate in the State Duma, the bill requires two additional readings and subsequent parliamentary approval before the trial sales and courier deliveries can officially begin across Moscow and the wider Moscow region.
