Russia Company Search Guide 2026: How to Verify a Russian Business

CRITICAL COMPLIANCE NOTE (May 2026). Russia has been subject to sweeping multilateral sanctions since February 2022 following the invasion of Ukraine. US, EU, UK, G7, and partner jurisdictions have collectively imposed sanctions on thousands of Russian individuals, entities, and sectors. Any business engagement with Russian-linked entities requires mandatory sanctions screening against OFAC, EU, and UK lists before acting. The EGRUL registry remains publicly accessible and is a legitimate compliance tool; accessing Russian company data is lawful. Operating commercially in Russia, processing Russian payments, or providing goods and services to sanctioned parties is not. This guide covers registry access for compliance research only.

What is the official Russia business registry?

The EGRUL (Единый государственный реестр юридических лиц, Unified State Register of Legal Entities) is Russia’s official central register for all commercial legal entities. It is maintained by the Federal Tax Service of Russia (Федеральная налоговая служба, FNS) and is publicly accessible at egrul.nalog.ru.

A parallel register, EGRIP (Единый государственный реестр индивидуальных предпринимателей, Unified State Register of Individual Entrepreneurs), covers sole traders and individual entrepreneurs. Both are maintained by FNS and searchable via the same portal.

Russia’s company law is governed primarily by Federal Law No. 14-FZ of February 8, 1998 “On Limited Liability Companies” (for OOO entities) and Federal Law No. 208-FZ of December 26, 1995 “On Joint-Stock Companies” (for AO and PAO entities), supplemented by Part One of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation. The FNS has administered EGRUL since 2002 when company registration functions were transferred from courts to the tax administration.

The main entity types registered in Russia include:

• OOO (Общество с ограниченной ответственностью, LLC): limited liability company, equivalent to a private company. The most common form for small and medium businesses and for foreign-owned operating companies in Russia.
• PAO (Публичное акционерное общество): public joint-stock company (PLC equivalent), used for listed companies.
• AO (Акционерное общество, formerly ZAO): non-public joint-stock company, used for larger private companies.
• Unitary Enterprises (FGUP/GUP): federal and regional state-owned enterprises, a material category given Russia’s state-heavy economy.
• Branches and representative offices of foreign companies (though many exited Russia after February 2022).
• Partnerships, cooperatives, and non-profit organizations are also registered in EGRUL.

What can you search on EGRUL?

The EGRUL portal at egrul.nalog.ru provides:

• Search by company name (Cyrillic, full or partial)
• Search by OGRN (Основной государственный регистрационный номер, Primary State Registration Number)
• Search by INN (Индивидуальный номер налогоплательщика, Individual Taxpayer Number)

Results show: full company name in Cyrillic, OGRN, INN, KPP (additional tax classification code), legal form, registered address, date of registration, date of any amendments, status (active, in liquidation, reorganization, struck off), and a downloadable PDF extract (Выписка из ЕГРЮЛ) containing fuller data including the list of founders/shareholders, director name and OGRN code, registration authority, and history of amendments.

The EGRUL extract is free to download. It is in Russian (Cyrillic) only. The extract carries digital signature and is legally equivalent to a certified extract for most Russian administrative purposes.

CAPTCHA. EGRUL uses a CAPTCHA verification step for extract downloads. This is not an account requirement — it prevents automated bulk scraping.

Founder and director data in EGRUL. EGRUL records show:

• Founder (participant) names: individual founders identified by name and passport series; legal entity founders identified by name and OGRN.
• Director (единоличный исполнительный орган): the name of the current director as filed with the FNS.
• Share proportions: for OOO entities, the nominal share size (though not the actual beneficial ownership chain if held through intermediaries).

Note that following 2022 sanctions-evasion measures, some Russian entities have restructured away from direct foreign founder identification. KPP and address changes may indicate such reorganizations.

Commercial aggregators: SPARK, Kontur.Focus, and others

The free EGRUL portal is authoritative but Cyrillic-only and provides raw registry data without commercial enrichment. Several Russian commercial data aggregators provide enriched company data:

SPARK-Interfax (spark-interfax.ru)

SPARK (Система профессионального анализа рынков и компаний, Professional System for Market and Company Analysis) is operated by Interfax, Russia’s leading financial information agency. SPARK is the dominant premium commercial company data service in Russia. It provides:

• EGRUL-sourced registry data with enhanced search and navigation
• Financial statements (annual accounts filed with FNS/Rosstat)
• Credit risk scores and payment behavior indicators
• Ultimate beneficial ownership chains (where disclosed or reconstructable from filings)
• Litigation and enforcement data
• Procurement contract history from the federal procurement register (Госзакупки)
• Cross-referencing with sanctions lists and watchlists

SPARK is subscription-based and primarily designed for Russian corporate users; access for foreign compliance buyers has been restricted post-2022 in some access tiers due to sanctions-related payment complications. Access may be possible through Russian law firm subscriptions or through partner arrangements. USD pricing is not standard; billing was in rubles or euros depending on contract terms prior to 2022.

Kontur.Focus (focus.kontur.ru)

Kontur.Focus (operated by SKB Kontur, a major Russian business software company) provides:

• EGRUL/EGRIP registry data with clean interface (Cyrillic only)
• Director and founder history, including historical changes
• Financial statement summaries
• Court enforcement actions (aresty, bailiff data)
• License and permit data

Kontur.Focus is a subscription service, primarily for Russian domestic users. Foreign access post-2022 is complicated by sanctions-related payment restrictions.

List-Org (list-org.com) and Rusprofile (rusprofile.ru)

These are free-to-use Russian commercial aggregators offering basic EGRUL-sourced company search with some enrichment (director history, financial statement summaries, court case counts). They are accessible to international users without subscription. Content is in Russian (Cyrillic). Useful for initial research but data currency and completeness are lower than SPARK.

The sanctions market (essential reading for any Russia engagement)

US OFAC sanctions

The US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has added thousands of Russian entities and individuals to the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list and sectoral sanctions lists (SSI) since 2014, with a massive expansion after February 24, 2022. OFAC’s Russia-related sanctions programs include:

• EO 13661, 13685 (Ukraine/Russia sanctions, 2014): financial sector, energy, and defense entities.
• EO 14024 (Russia Harmful Foreign Activities, 2021-present): the primary vehicle for post-2022 designations. Covers financial services, technology, defense, metals and mining, and transport sectors.
• Sectoral sanctions (SSI lists): prohibit certain transactions with specific sectors even for non-SDN entities.

OFAC’s 50-percent rule: US persons are prohibited from dealing with entities in which an SDN has a direct or indirect ownership interest of 50% or more, even if the entity itself is not on the SDN list. This is critical for Russia compliance because sanctioned oligarchs and state entities hold pervasive ownership stakes throughout the Russian economy through complex layered structures.

Verify all Russian entities and their beneficial owners against the OFAC SDN list at ofac.treasury.gov/sanctions-list-search. The SDN list is searchable by name, OGRN, and INN.

EU consolidated sanctions list

The EU has adopted 14+ sanctions packages against Russia since February 2022 under EU Regulation 269/2014 and related instruments. The EU consolidated list includes hundreds of Russian entities and thousands of individuals. EU persons and entities are prohibited from making funds or economic resources available, directly or indirectly, to listed persons, and from engaging in transactions with listed entities in restricted sectors.

The EU consolidated list is searchable at the European External Action Service website and through national competent authority portals. Key EU sanctions areas: financial services, energy, defense, transport, luxury goods, and technology exports.

UK OFSI sanctions

The UK Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) maintains the UK Sanctions List, which includes Russia-specific designations under the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (as amended). Post-Brexit, the UK sanctions list has diverged from the EU list in some respects, with the UK adding additional designations. All UK persons and entities are subject to OFSI compliance obligations. Check the UK Sanctions List at gov.uk/government/publications/the-uk-sanctions-list.

SWIFT exclusion

Multiple major Russian banks have been excluded from the SWIFT international payment messaging system since March 2022, including Sberbank, VTB Bank, Bank Rossiya, Otkritie FC Bank, Novikombank, and others. SWIFT exclusion is separate from SDN listing. Institutions excluded from SWIFT cannot receive or send SWIFT-based payment messages, effectively blocking most international wire transfers. Some Russian banks not initially excluded (e.g., Gazprombank, for energy payment processing) remained connected on a temporary basis; review current status before any payment instruction involving a Russian bank.

Ownership cloaking via Cyprus, UAE, and Kazakhstan

A material compliance challenge in Russian entity due diligence since 2022 is systematic ownership cloaking through third-country intermediaries:

Cyprus. Russia historically used Cyprus as a primary holding company jurisdiction (Russia-Cyprus BIT, favorable tax treaty). Post-2022 sanctions, Russian owners with Cyprus holding companies have accelerated restructuring to move beneficial ownership out of sanctioned jurisdictions or into jurisdictions with more opaque disclosure regimes. Some Cyprus structures may now obscure sanctioned Russian beneficial owners. Cyprus-registered entities with Russian ultimate beneficial owners require enhanced scrutiny.

UAE. The UAE has become the preferred relocation destination for Russian capital, business, and corporate structures since 2022. Dubai-based entities (DMCC free zone, Dubai mainland, other UAE free zones) with newly established ownership stakes in operating businesses should be assessed for potential Russian beneficial owner connections. The UAE was placed on the FATF grey list in 2022 (removed in February 2024); its enhanced monitoring period overlapped with major Russian capital flows. Apply enhanced due diligence to UAE intermediaries in structures with Russian connections.

Kazakhstan. Russia-Kazakhstan trade has expanded considerably post-2022, and Kazakhstan has become a route for re-exporting goods to Russia that are otherwise subject to export controls. Kazakh entities acting as intermediaries in supply chains involving restricted goods to Russia require careful examination. Kazakhstan has not joined Western sanctions.

Other jurisdictions. Turkey, Georgia, Armenia, and Serbia have seen increased activity from Russian-origin businesses relocating or establishing intermediary structures. None of these countries have imposed Russia sanctions.

How to conduct Russia entity due diligence in practice

For foreign compliance buyers who need to verify a Russian entity (for KYC, litigation support, legacy contract review, or asset tracing), the recommended process is:

1. OGRN/INN collection. Collect the OGRN (13-digit primary registration number for legal entities; 15-digit for individuals/entrepreneurs) and INN (10-digit for companies; 12-digit for individuals) from the Russian counterparty or from any available document.
2. EGRUL extract download. Search egrul.nalog.ru by OGRN or INN. Download the Выписка (extract) as a PDF. Note the current director name, founders/participants, and address.
3. Sanctions screening. Screen the company name, OGRN, INN, director name, and all identified founders against OFAC SDN, EU consolidated list, and UK OFSI list. Apply the OFAC 50-percent rule by checking ownership stakes against all SDN-listed entities.
4. Commercial data enrichment (where accessible). Use Rusprofile or List-Org for free initial enrichment on financial summary, court case count, and director history. For material transactions, engage SPARK-Interfax through a subscribed Russian intermediary or law firm.
5. Ownership chain investigation. If the EGRUL extract shows legal entity founders with their own OGRNs, repeat the EGRUL lookup and sanctions check for each founder entity. For multi-layer structures, this may require multiple iterations or engagement of a specialist research firm.
6. Local counsel. For any material transaction or enforcement matter involving Russia, engage Russian-qualified legal counsel. Russia’s corporate and insolvency law is sophisticated and fact-specific; remote research has limits.

What you legally cannot do

Western compliance buyers should note:

• Accessing EGRUL and searching Russian company data is lawful under US, EU, and UK law. The registry is public information.
• Paying for Russian commercial data services (e.g., SPARK subscriptions) may be restricted if the payment involves a sanctioned Russian financial institution or if the provider itself is sanctioned. Check service provider sanctions status before entering subscription arrangements.
• Providing consulting, legal, accounting, or business advisory services to Russian entities may be restricted under EU and UK sectoral sanctions, regardless of whether the specific entity is listed. Review the applicable sectoral restrictions for your jurisdiction.
• Any transaction that provides economic benefit to an SDN-listed entity, or to an entity 50%+ owned by an SDN, requires an OFAC license (for US persons) or a competent authority license (for EU/UK persons), or must be declined.

Practical tips for foreign compliance buyers

• Cyrillic transliteration is a critical research challenge. Russian names appear in EGRUL in Cyrillic. When screening against English-language sanctions lists, transliteration variants exist: there is no single standard for converting Cyrillic to Latin script. Use multiple transliteration variants when searching names. OFAC, EU, and UK lists include known aliases. Use the OGRN or INN as the anchor identifier where possible, as they are numeric and transliteration-independent.
• Director changes are a red flag signal. A cluster of director changes in a Russian OOO shortly after February 2022 may indicate ownership restructuring to conceal sanctioned beneficial owners. Review EGRUL amendment history (available in the full extract) for suspicious timing.
• State-owned enterprises permeate the economy. A large portion of the Russian economy is directly or indirectly state-owned. FGUP, GUP, and state-affiliated entities may not be formally sanctioned but carry elevated risk for Western counterparties due to government affiliation. The Russian government’s control extends to nominally private entities through golden shares, board appointments, and procurement dependencies.
• Financial statements are available via FNS. The FNS maintains the GIR BO (State Information Resource of Accounting Reporting, bo.nalog.ru), which provides free access to company annual financial statements filed with the tax authority. This is a useful resource for assessing the financial profile of Russian entities. Access is publicly available; content is in Russian.
• Cross-reference with Kommersant and Interfax news. Russian-language media sources such as Kommersant (kommersant.ru) and RBK (rbc.ru) contain extensive coverage of corporate events, M&A, and sanctions-related business changes. For material counterparty research, news monitoring supplements registry data.

Alternatives if you cannot access EGRUL directly

• Rusprofile (rusprofile.ru): Free Russian commercial aggregator, accessible internationally, Cyrillic only. Provides EGRUL-derived data with some court case and financial enrichment.
• List-Org (list-org.com): Similar free aggregator, useful for initial lookups.
• OpenCorporates: has Russian entity data from EGRUL but coverage may lag official data.
• SPARK-Interfax via subscribed intermediary: the premium path for thorough research on material Russian counterparties.
• Russian law firms: still operating (firms not under sanctions) can provide certified EGRUL extracts, beneficial ownership research, and legal opinions on Russian law matters.

Local data suppliers

SPARK-Interfax (spark-interfax.ru): Russia’s leading premium commercial information service. EGRUL data enriched with financial statements, court records, procurement data, and risk scoring. Subscription-based; access for foreign buyers requires navigating post-2022 sanctions-era payment and service restrictions. The most complete source for Russian entity due diligence when accessible.

Kontur.Focus (focus.kontur.ru): SKB Kontur’s company intelligence platform, strong on EGRUL data, director history, enforcement, and financials. Russian domestic market focus.

Rusprofile (rusprofile.ru) and List-Org (list-org.com): free secondary aggregators, Cyrillic, useful for initial research without subscription.

FAQ

Is EGRUL publicly accessible to foreign users?

Yes. The EGRUL portal at egrul.nalog.ru is publicly accessible on the internet without geographic restriction. There is no registration requirement. The data is in Russian (Cyrillic) only. Free PDF extract downloads require passing a CAPTCHA. Accessing EGRUL for compliance research is lawful for foreign users.

What is the OGRN number in Russia?

The OGRN (Основной государственный регистрационный номер, Primary State Registration Number) is Russia’s primary legal entity identifier. For legal entities (companies), it is 13 digits. For individual entrepreneurs (IP, Индивидуальный предприниматель), it is 15 digits (OGRNIP). The OGRN is assigned at initial registration by the FNS and does not change. It is the most reliable anchor identifier for Russian entity lookups, as it is unambiguous across transliteration variants of the company name.

What is the INN in Russia?

The INN (Индивидуальный номер налогоплательщика, Individual Taxpayer Number) is Russia’s tax identification number. For legal entities, it is 10 digits. For individuals, it is 12 digits. The INN is assigned by the FNS and used across tax, customs, procurement, and registry systems. Together with the OGRN, the INN is the core identifier pair for Russian entity verification.

Is Russia subject to sanctions that affect company verification?

Russia has been subject to multilateral sanctions since 2014, massively expanded after February 2022. For foreign compliance buyers, this means: (1) sanctions screening is mandatory before any commercial engagement with Russian-linked entities; (2) EGRUL searches for compliance research are lawful but require careful analysis of ownership chains for OFAC 50-percent rule application; (3) payment for Russian commercial data services may be restricted; and (4) certain service sectors are subject to blanket restrictions regardless of whether individual entities are listed. Consult qualified sanctions compliance counsel for transaction-specific guidance.

Does Russia have a public beneficial ownership register?

Russia has a beneficial ownership disclosure regime under Federal Law No. 115-FZ “On Countering Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing.” Companies are required to identify and retain information on their ultimate beneficial owners and to disclose this to authorized government bodies. However, there is no publicly accessible centralized UBO register in Russia comparable to the UK PSC register or the EU member state UBO registers. Beneficial ownership data held by FNS, Rosfinmonitoring, and other authorities is not available via a public portal. EGRUL shows legal founders but not necessarily ultimate beneficial owners through complex ownership chains.

Is Russia on the FATF grey list?

Russia was suspended from the FATF in February 2023 following the FATF’s statement that Russia’s actions in Ukraine were incompatible with the FATF core principles. Suspension means Russia cannot participate in FATF decision-making or activities, though it was not placed on the grey list (Increased Monitoring). As of May 2026, Russia remains suspended from FATF. For current status, see fatf-gafi.org. Russia’s FATF suspension does not directly create additional FATF-based due diligence obligations for its counterparties beyond those imposed by the multilateral sanctions regimes, but it is a relevant factor in overall risk assessment.

Last verified: May 2026. Sources: Federal Tax Service of Russia EGRUL (egrul.nalog.ru); US OFAC Sanctions List (ofac.treasury.gov); EU Consolidated Sanctions List (eeas.europa.eu); UK OFSI Sanctions List (gov.uk); FATF Russia suspension statement (fatf-gafi.org). For the full global due diligence framework, see our Global Business Due Diligence Guide.