Time zones in Russia

There are eleven time zones in Russia, which currently observe times ranging from UTC+02:00 to UTC+12:00. Daylight saving time is not used in Russia (since March 2011).

Since 4 December 2016, the time zones are as follows:

Prior to 2011, Russia moved its clocks backward and forward on the same annual cycle as Europe. On 27 March 2011, clocks were advanced as usual, but they did not go back on 30 October 2011, effectively making Moscow Time UTC+4 permanently. On 26 October 2014, following another change in the law, the clocks in most of the country were moved back one hour, but summer Daylight Time was not reintroduced; Moscow Time returned to UTC+3 permanently.

In the Russian Empire, most of the nation observed solar time. During the late 19th century, Moscow Mean Time was introduced on 1 January 1880, originally at GMT+02:30:17. 2:30:17 corresponds to 37.6166667°, the longitude of Moscow. Other parts of Russia kept solar time for several years. At this time, Russia had the Julian Calendar with 12 days less date compared to Western Europe, so it is possible to say the Moscow actually had GMT-285:29:43 (GMT-11d 21h 29m 43s). Russia adopted the Gregorian calendar on 14 February 1918, which most of Europe already used.

After the Soviet Union was created, Moscow Time became UTC+02 and the various other time zones (up to UTC+12) were introduced throughout Russia and the rest of the Soviet Union, for example Irkutsk Time GMT+7 (Irkutsk has since this always been MSK+5). Between 1917-1922 the time was less ordered, with daylight savings time some of those years, some with two hours addition, and some of those years with one or two hours extra winter time.

On 21 June 1930, the Soviet Union advanced all clocks by one hour, effectively making the nation run on daylight saving time all year (the so-called decree time). Moscow Time was now GMT+3 and Irkutsk Time GMT+8 (MSK+5).

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