Russia’s Financial Regulator Proposes Expanding Account Freezes to Partial Matches with Terrorist List

Rosfinmonitoring has drafted amendments that would let banks suspend transactions when a client’s data only partially matches a name on the 15,000‑strong list of terrorists and extremists. Currently, banks must freeze accounts within 24 hours for a full match; the new rule would impose a five‑business‑day freeze for partial matches, lifting only if Rosfinmonitoring extends it. The regulator will set the exact criteria for what constitutes a match. As of February 1, 2026, more than 800 individuals on the list have multiple recorded variants of their name or other identifying details, a loophole that the amendments aim to close. The proposal, published on the government’s draft‑regulation portal, would broaden the reach of Russia’s anti‑money‑laundering enforcement and tighten banking controls.