NOVEMBER 9, 2024 — By the end of this year, Russia will require the display of the national tricolor on vehicle license plates as part of a revised GOST standard, according to a recent statement by Deputy Alexander Khinshtein, Kuban News reports.
In an announcement via Telegram, Russian State Duma Deputy Alexander Khinshtein confirmed that the Russian tricolor flag will become a mandatory feature on vehicle license plates following updates to the GOST standards.
The initiative, reportedly inspired by a suggestion from Khinshtein’s audience, was submitted to the State Traffic Safety Department and endorsed by Khinshtein. Plates already issued without the flag will remain unaffected by the change, says Radio 1.
Khinshtein’s proposal echoes earlier discussions led by St. Petersburg Assembly Deputy Pavel Krupnik, who suggested that the absence of the state flag on license plates signifies disrespect toward national symbols. Krupnik even proposed penalties, such as temporary license suspension, for non-compliance.
Currently, Russia’s 1993 GOST standard allows the production of license plates with or without the national flag.
Image: Anton Prikhodko
