The head of the Central Bank, Elvira Nabiullina, stated that they are finalizing the launch of the project, which has been in development since 2021. Starting September 1, transactions in CBDC will appear in the largest financial and credit organizations. Subsequently, other institutions will use the digital ruble. The Central Bank is also discussing the possibility of opening wallets on the balance sheets of banks, not just the regulator. From September 1 until July 2027, a transitional period will be in effect, during which Russia will be refining the project. Nabiullina emphasized that their goal is to simplify the use of CBDC and make it appealing for people and businesses. Meanwhile, the EU already imposed sanctions against the digital ruble in April.