The Government of the Russian Federation has approved unified rules governing the use in the Russian Federation of the names “Red Cross”, “Red Crescent”, and “Russian Red Cross”, as well as the emblems of the Red Cross and the Red Crescent, and the emblem (logo) of the All-Russian Non-Government Organization “Russian Red Cross”. The relevant government resolution was signed on 16 May 2026 and will enter into force on 1 September 2026.
According to the document, state hospitals, emergency medical services, and other public healthcare institutions providing free medical care to citizens, as well as military medical units and law enforcement medical organizations, will be permitted to use the Red Cross and Red Crescent emblems in peacetime without additional authorization. For other organizations, including private healthcare facilities, pharmacy chains, volunteer associations, and other entities, the use of the Red Cross and Red Crescent emblems and names will be permitted only with written authorization fr om the Russian Red Cross (RRC).
“It is important to understand that the Red Cross emblem is not merely a medical symbol, but an international protective emblem enshrined in the Geneva Conventions. It provides protection for humanitarian personnel, including staff of the Russian Red Cross, doctors, hospitals, medical transport, and victims of armed conflicts. Uncontrolled use of the emblem undermines its protective function and may erode trust in it in situations wh ere safety and lives directly depend on it. Therefore, the introduction of unified rules for its use will be an important step toward safeguarding the protective function of the Red Cross and Red Crescent emblems and ensuring their proper use in Russia,” said Pavel Savchuk, President of the RRC.
The new rules are the result of joint work between the RRC and the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation. The procedure approved by the Government provides for the implementation of the Federal Law “On the Russian Red Cross” (No. 457-FZ of 15 December 2025), which entered into force on 1 February 2026.
