By Ekaterina Janashia | 2026-03-16

What began in Moscow's metro has quietly spread to rail stations and bus terminals across Russia -- a nationwide rollout of smartphone inspections that officials call counter-terrorism and critics call a constitutional threat.

A February investigation by independent media outlet Verstka found that requiring passengers to power on and demonstrate the functionality of their smartphones has expanded well beyond the capital to transportation hubs in regions across the country.

While authorities insist the checks ensure devices are not being used as improvised explosive devices, legal experts and civil rights advocates warn that the lack of clear boundaries could lead to unconstitutional searches of private data.

A nationwide expansion

Saint Petersburg's metro drew attention when it publicly announced the checks, but the practice is neither new nor isolated, according to Verstka. Reports have surfaced from Belgorod on the Ukrainian border to Murmansk in the north and Tyumen in Siberia.

Yekaterinburg's metro administration issued a statement as early as October 2025, likening the procedure to airport security protocols.

"The tightening of control over devices is explained by the high probability of using such devices to damage the safety of passengers and infrastructure," the press service said. The administration argued a smartphone casing could theoretically conceal explosives or prohibited substances.

The legal basis cited by officials is Ministry of Transport Order No. 34, adopted February 4, 2025, which stipulates that inspection of mobile phones and personal computers "is carried out by switching them on and checking their operability."

Security vs. content

The central concern for Russian commuters is whether "checking operability" serves as a pretext for "checking content."

Under Article 23 of the Russian Constitution, citizens are guaranteed the right to privacy of correspondence. Legally, a police officer or security guard cannot browse a user's photos, messages, or installed apps without a warrant or a formal criminal protocol.

"Formally, it is not stated anywhere that there is access to the contents of the phone; no one can demand it," attorney Evgeny Smirnov told Verstka.

Smirnov, who collaborates with legal defense group First Department, said current instructions theoretically limit inspection to confirming the device is functional, essentially proving the phone is a phone and not a shell filled with explosives.

Reality on the ground appears more fluid.

In Tula, travelers reported being asked to unlock their screens simply to show the device was "working." In Moscow's Khovrino bus terminal, security guards have reportedly apologized to passengers while asking them to display their "lit-up screens," citing anti-terrorism rules.

Sources close to regional governments and the Moscow Mayor's office said the push for inspections came directly from the Federal Security Service (FSB), issued to transportation departments nationwide in response to heightened security threats related to the war in Ukraine.

State Duma Deputy Oleg Leonov publicly clarified that while metro security can check if a phone turns on, they have no authority to inspect photos or applications.

"The police do not have the right to view the contents of the device," Leonov said.

Despite such assurances, human rights defender Alena Popova has documented numerous instances where passengers felt pressured to comply with more intrusive searches out of fear of detention or missing their transport.

'Digital hygiene' in a new era

Verstka's investigation suggests that for now, mass inspections are largely performative, designed as a deterrent rather than a systematic dragnet for digital data. A source in a Siberian regional government said content checks are not being conducted because they require a complex legal protocol that security guards cannot handle on the fly.

However, the report notes that authorities may use operability checks as a tactical tool to target specific individuals. If a passenger is already on a watch list, an initial stop at a metal detector can give security forces a legal opening to escalate.

As the practice becomes entrenched, legal experts are increasingly advising Russians on "digital hygiene" -- using guest modes on smartphones, disabling biometric unlocks in favor of long passcodes, and knowing one's rights at transit stops.

"The Ministry of Transport order cannot cancel the Constitution," lawyer Leonid Solovyov said, noting that while checking for explosives is a legitimate security function, the jump from "turning on a screen" to "opening a chat" is a significant legal violation.

The Ministry of Transport and the FSB have not officially commented on reports of expanded regional checks beyond referring to existing safety legislation.