In the second and third readings, lawmakers advanced a bill that would penalize the distribution of maps or images challenging the country’s territorial integrity. Individual violators could face a fine ranging from 1,000 to 3,000 rubles or detention for up to 15 days, while legal entities might be fined up to 1 million rubles. The amendment would modify federal law on combating extremist activities.
Extremist material would include all cartographic documents and images intended for distribution or public display that dispute the country’s territorial boundaries.
The amendments to the so-called false maps were introduced by the State Duma Security Committee led by Vasily Piskarev, with deputies Ernest Valeev and Anatoly Vyborny contributing to the draft.
The bill was submitted to the State Duma in September 2022 and cleared the first reading in December of the same year.
Wallpapers and the geography task set
Piskarev has warned that it is especially risky for children to encounter images showing contested territorial affiliations such as Crimea or the Kuril Islands. He cited children’s photo wallpapers sold in a major retail chain where Crimea was labeled as part of Ukraine.
In the official demonstration versions of the Unified State Exam geography tasks, maps for the Luhansk and Donetsk People’s Republics, as well as the Zaporozhye and Kherson regions, appeared as part of Ukrainian territory in early reports. The Federal Institute of Pedagogical Measurements later noted that geography tasks in the KIM materials used boundaries as of January 1, 2022.
Rosobrnadzor clarified that the geography questions graduates will encounter in the exam will reflect the updated boundaries with the new regions treated as Russian.
Demonstration versions of control and measurement materials for all subjects used in the Unified State Examination were updated in August 2022. They include the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics, along with the Zaporozhye and Kherson regions. During the main examination period in 2023, participants in geography would work with maps showing the Russian Federation with current boundaries.
The Crimean Peninsula remains a subject of Russian governance following a 2014 referendum recognized by many at the time as a formal annexation process. The stance on Crimea has been repeatedly described by Russian leadership as final and definitive.
On February 24, 2022, a Russian presidential decision responded to requests for support from Donetsk and Luhansk, initiating a special operation to protect Donbass. Following referendums, the DPR, LPR, and the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions were incorporated into Russia.
Beyond borders
Several companies have explored presenting geographic information in multiple languages, sometimes designating foreign places with local terms or removing explicit state borders. This approach aims to focus on practical geography rather than political demarcations.
In one case, an aggregator published a flight map that omits country borders, explaining that the map source was supplied by an external provider rather than the company itself. In another example, a major map service removed state borders from world maps to emphasize nearby facilities, public transit connections, and route planning. The service noted that in broader survey contexts, the emphasis would shift toward physical geography, with less focus on political borders and more on natural features.