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Korolyov is a city in Moscow Oblast with a mix of industrial, research and commercial activity. As demand for cloud services, colocation, edge computing and enterprise hosting grows, Korolyov and the greater Moscow region have become locations of interest for data-center and digital-infrastructure projects. Legal issues in this field draw on multiple bodies of law - telecommunications, data protection, construction and land use, environmental and safety regulation, public procurement and corporate law.
Operating or building a data center in Korolyov means navigating both federal Russian law and regional and municipal requirements. Federal regulators set key rules on personal data, information security, telecommunications and critical infrastructure. Local authorities control planning, land use, permitting and certain municipal requirements. Practical compliance therefore requires coordinated attention to national rules, sector standards and local procedures.
Data-center and digital-infrastructure projects involve complex legal and regulatory risks. You may need a lawyer in situations such as:
- Site acquisition or lease - to perform due diligence, negotiate terms, resolve title and easement issues, and handle cadastral registration.
- Construction and permitting - to secure planning permissions, construction permits and commissioning approvals and to coordinate with local authorities in Korolyov and Moscow Oblast.
- Regulatory compliance - to ensure compliance with personal-data rules, data-localization requirements, telecom licensing obligations and critical-infrastructure regulations.
- Contracts and procurement - to draft and negotiate colocation agreements, service-level agreements - SLAs, supply contracts, power and network connection agreements, and vendor or outsourcing contracts.
- Licensing and authorizations - to advise on whether telecom or other special licenses are needed and to assist in obtaining approvals from federal bodies such as the Federal Service for Supervision in the Sphere of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Communications.
- Security and incident response - to prepare legal incident-response plans, manage breach notifications to regulators and affected persons, and defend against administrative or criminal investigations.
- Financing, investment and M&A - to structure project financing, prepare security packages, advise on foreign investment issues and handle mergers, acquisitions or joint ventures.
- Dispute resolution - to represent clients in contractual disputes, administrative proceedings and court or arbitration matters.
The legal and regulatory landscape relevant to data centers in Korolyov includes several interlocking areas. Below are the key aspects to know.
- Personal Data and Data-Localization. Federal rules require companies processing personal data of Russian residents to take specific measures to protect that data. There are also data-localization requirements that mandate storage and processing of certain categories of Russian citizens' personal data on servers located in Russia. Roskomnadzor is the principal federal regulator for personal-data enforcement.
- Telecommunications and Network Access. Telecom activities - including providing public telecom services, operating networks or offering certain interconnection services - are regulated and in many cases require licensing or notification. Roskomnadzor supervises telecom activities, frequency use and operator obligations.
- Information Security and Critical Infrastructure. Facilities that qualify as critical information infrastructure face additional obligations for protection, incident reporting and interaction with federal bodies. Rules on technical information security, cryptographic protection and certification may apply depending on the nature of services and data.
- Construction, Land Use and Permitting. Building a data center requires compliance with urban-planning rules, construction permits, environmental approvals and compliance with Russian building codes and standards. Local municipal authorities in Korolyov and the Moscow Oblast urban-planning bodies handle zoning, permits, and cadastral registration. Registration with the Federal Service for State Registration, Cadastre and Cartography is needed for land rights.
- Fire, Industrial and Electrical Safety. Data centers are subject to fire safety rules, electrical-installation standards and, in some cases, industrial-safety regulation. Relevant federal and regional supervisors include the State Fire Supervision authorities and technical supervision agencies.
- Environmental and Waste Regulation. If the project has significant environmental impact - for example, on water use or waste heat discharge - environmental assessments and permits may be required and supervised by regional environmental bodies.
- Tax and Customs. VAT, corporate tax rules and customs procedures affect hardware procurement, imports and operating costs. Special tax regimes or incentives may be available under regional programs; local counsel can advise on eligibility and application processes.
- Corporate and Employment Law. Local employment contracts, social contributions, workplace safety obligations and corporate governance rules apply to companies operating in Korolyov.
There is no single federal "data-center" license. However, related activities such as providing public telecom services, using radio frequencies or offering certain public cloud services may require licensing or notification to federal authorities. Additionally, operating on premises designated as critical information infrastructure imposes extra requirements. A lawyer can review the precise services you intend to offer and determine which permissions, notifications or registrations apply.
Russian law requires that personal data of Russian citizens be stored and processed in databases located on Russian territory in many cases. This rule applies primarily to personal-data operators processing information about Russian residents. If your data-center services will store or process personal data of Russians, you must design infrastructure and contractual arrangements to comply with localization requirements and register or notify regulators as required.
Power connection involves technical, commercial and regulatory steps - applications to the grid operator, technical specifications, capacity allocation, and agreements on power supply and backup. Legal issues include negotiating connection agreements, ensuring compliance with electrical safety standards, obtaining permits for high-power equipment, and possibly securing guarantees or concessions for capacity. Early legal and technical coordination with the regional grid and local authorities is essential.
Core contracts include colocation and hosting agreements, SLAs with clear performance metrics and remedies, power supply agreements, network and interconnection contracts, equipment procurement and maintenance contracts, construction and engineering contracts, and employee and subcontractor agreements. Contracts should address liability limitations, indemnities, data-protection obligations, audit rights, termination conditions and business-continuity provisions.
Notification obligations depend on the type of data and applicable laws. Personal-data breaches often require notification to Roskomnadzor and, in some cases, affected individuals. If the incident affects critical infrastructure or national security, federal agencies including FSB or FSTEC may become involved. A lawyer can help prepare incident-response procedures and obligations to notify regulators and customers within required timeframes.
Cross-border transfer of personal data is restricted and may require specific legal bases or protective measures. Data-localization rules may limit transfers for certain categories of personal data. Transfers to jurisdictions lacking adequate protection may require contractual safeguards, encryption and compliance checks. Legal advice is crucial when planning international data flows.
A facility or service may be designated by federal authorities as critical information infrastructure based on its role in public services or economic stability. Designation triggers stricter security, reporting, and technical requirements, and often entails closer oversight by federal security agencies. Being designated can affect procurement, operations and incident-management obligations.
Local requirements typically include land-use approvals, zoning confirmations, construction permits, and commissioning certificates. You will also need cadastral registration for land plots and building permits under urban-planning rules. Specific conditions may be set by municipal authorities in Korolyov, and coordination with Moscow Oblast agencies may be required for infrastructure projects that affect regional systems.
Yes. International standards such as ISO/IEC 27001 for information security, ISO standards for data-center operations and recognized uptime and resilience tiers are commonly used. Russian standards and GOST requirements may also apply for technical and safety aspects. Compliance with recognized standards helps demonstrate due diligence to regulators and clients.
Timelines vary by scope, site readiness and permitting complexity. A modest retrofit or colocation space can be prepared in several months if permits and connections are straightforward. A new build with custom infrastructure can take a year or more when design, permitting, construction and commissioning are included. Early regulatory and legal planning can shorten delays and reduce unexpected obstacles.
When seeking legal or regulatory guidance, the following bodies and resources are relevant in Russia and for projects in Korolyov:
- Roskomnadzor - federal regulator for personal data and information rights enforcement.
- Federal Service for Supervision in the Sphere of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Communications - telecoms and communications oversight.
- Federal Service for Technical and Export Control - information-security standards and technical protection requirements.
- Federal Security Service - issues related to state secrets, critical infrastructure and national security controls.
- Ministry of Digital Development of the Russian Federation - policy, programs and industry guidance on digital infrastructure.
- Moscow Oblast administration and Korolyov city administration - local planning, permitting and municipal requirements.
- Federal Service for State Registration, Cadastre and Cartography - land and cadastral registration and property matters.
- State Fire Supervision and regional technical supervision bodies - fire and industrial safety requirements.
- Industry standards bodies and certification organizations - for ISO, GOST and data-center specific certifications.
If you need legal assistance with a data-center or digital-infrastructure matter in Korolyov, consider this practical roadmap:
- 1. Prepare a project brief - define the scope of the project, proposed site, services, estimated timelines, and key technical partners.
- 2. Conduct an initial legal and regulatory audit - identify which federal and local rules apply, potential licensing needs and risks related to data protection, telecom regulation and critical-infrastructure designation.
- 3. Retain local counsel with sector experience - choose a lawyer or firm that understands telecom, data protection and construction law in Russia and has experience with Moscow Oblast and municipal procedures.
- 4. Perform site due diligence - verify title, encumbrances, zoning, utility access and environmental constraints.
- 5. Align technical and legal teams - ensure technical designs address regulatory requirements for security, redundancy, power and fire safety from the earliest stages.
- 6. Draft and negotiate core contracts - include robust SLAs, clear liability allocation, data-protection clauses, audit rights and termination provisions.
- 7. Build compliance processes - implement personal-data handling policies, incident-response plans, staff training and vendor management processes.
- 8. Plan for inspections and approvals - map the permitting calendar and submission requirements for Korolyov and Moscow Oblast authorities, and allow time for regulatory review.
- 9. Consider certification and standards - pursue relevant security and operational certifications to build trust with clients and demonstrate compliance.
- 10. Maintain ongoing legal support - regulatory landscapes change; maintain counsel for compliance monitoring, contract updates and dispute handling.
Documents and information to bring to an initial legal consultation include site deeds or lease offers, any existing contracts with vendors or utilities, proposed technical specifications, a description of the data types to be processed, and an overview of business models and customer types. Clear early communication between legal, technical and commercial teams will reduce risk and improve project outcomes.
