More than 100 illegal mining farms have been identified since the beginning of 2025 in the North Caucasus Federal District, according to the company "Rosseti Severny Kavkaz" (Russian Grids of the North Caucasus) as cited by TASS. The total amount of damage exceeded 656 million rubles.
Cryptocurrency mining is prohibited in the republics of the North Caucasus until the spring of 2031. However, many illegal miners remain in the regions, stealing electricity by bypassing meters or connecting to the grid directly without contracts.
5 underground farms were discovered in Karachay-Cherkessia (damage of 104.1 million rubles), two in the Stavropol Territory (1 million rubles) and North Ossetia (390 thousand rubles), and one more in Kabardino-Balkaria (5.8 million rubles).
The most significant damage to energy companies was caused by 14 farms in Ingushetia — 455.5 million rubles. The largest number of illegal miners was identified in Dagestan. There, 79 farms were found, which caused damage amounting to 89.5 million rubles.
"Dagestan still leads in the number of illegal mining cases. This is related to attempts by certain citizens to profit without using their own funds," the energy company reported.
On December 8, at a meeting of the Council for Strategic Development and National Projects, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak stated that the government plans to establish both administrative and criminal liability for violations related to cryptocurrency mining. Lawyers told "RBC-Crypto" where the line between administrative and criminal offenses in the field of mining might be drawn.
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