Russian emergency numbers and helplines

Important notice from the Editor in Chief

Maintaining our Russian site is a delicate matter during the war. We have chosen to keep its content online to help our readers, but we cannot ensure that it is accurate and up to date. Our team endeavors to strike the right balance between giving information to those who need it, and respecting the gravity of the situation.

If you have a life-threatening crisis, you can call the emergency phone number 112. If your situation is not that dire, there are a wide range of other numbers and useful helplines that offer support.

Here’s who to call in Russia:

Emergency services in Russia

If you need emergency assistance from the police (Полиция/Politsiya), fire service (Пожарной Охраны/Pozharnoy Ohrany), or medical service, call 112 from any landline or mobile phone in Russia. The operator will divert you to the required service.

It’s also possible to call the individual services at the following Russian emergency numbers.

• Emergencies Ministry: 01 or 101 from a landline phone, but only 101 from a mobile phone.
• Police: 02 or 102 from a landline phone, but only 102 from a mobile phone.
• Ambulance service: 03 or 103 from a landline phone, but only 103 from a mobile phone.

You should only use these numbers in a genuine emergency, such as if there is a serious threat to your health. Using Russian emergency numbers for non-urgent issues generally causes delays for those who need help the most.

Fire services in Russia

The Russian State Fire Service is split into two divisions: the Federal Fire Service (which conducts firefighting, fire prevention, and rescue work) and the Fire Service of the Russian Federation (which is meanwhile responsible for training and fire safety). The fire brigade is overseen by the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry (EMERCOM).

In an emergency, you can contact the fire service on 01 or 101 (from a landline), but only 101 (from a landline or mobile).

Police in Russia

The police force in Russia is overseen by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. If you encounter a crime or emergency in Russia, call 02 or 102 (from a landline), but only 102 from a mobile.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs also provides an online guide to what you should do to report different types of crime in Russia.

• Moscow City Police: (495) 200 9305
• St Petersburg City Police: (812) 579 9824

Healthcare and accidents in Russia

In a medical emergency, call 03 or 113 (from a landline) or 113 (from a mobile) to contact the ambulance service. Regardless of your medical insurance status, you can access emergency healthcare for free in Russia.

The following are some other useful Russian emergency numbers and websites:

• National Sea Rescue Service (Государственная Морская Спасательная Служба/Gosudarstvenaya Morskaya Spasatelnaya Sluzhba): 112
• Sklifosovsky Institute of Emergency Care: main emergency hospital in Moscow that also has a private ambulance service. Call (495) 680 6722.
• Red Cross: (499) 126 7571
• Regional Society of Disabled People: (495) 725 3982
• HIV/AIDS Helpline: (495) 366 6238

Mental health services in Russia

If you require mental healthcare in Russia, you should generally contact your doctor for advice first. Your doctor in Russia can then prescribe you medicine or refer you for suitable treatment.

The quality of mental healthcare services varies overall, depending largely on where you are in Russia. Those with private healthcare or residing in major cities such as Moscow may have greater access to services.

The following organizations also offer mental health services in Russia:

• Suicide/Crisis line: (495) 625 3101
• MIGSOVET: find a psychologist online

Drug and alcohol services in Russia

• Drugs helpline: (495) 421 5555
• Anti-poison center: Moscow – (495) 628 1687, Saint Petersburg – (921) 757 3228.
• Medical Center Zdravnitsa (Медицинский Центр Здравница/Meditsinskiy Tsentr Zdravnitsa): emergency treatment for alcoholism as well as drug abuse. Call (495) 225 2514.
• Narkonon-Standard: Moscow – (495) 504 9601, elsewhere in Russia – 800 555 1022.

Children, family, and youth services in Russia

• Child abuse helpline: (495) 624 6001
• Women’s abuse helpline: (495) 282 8450
• Center of Family Planning and Reproduction
• ANNA: domestic violence helpline for women in Russia. Call 800 7000 600.
• Yaroslavna Center for Psychological Help of Women
• Russian Association of Crisis Centers: (495) 250 9171
• Missing persons in Russia: to report a missing person, call the emergency services on 102 or 112. The Russian police also provide a step-by-step guide on how to report a missing person.

Utility and telecommunications services in Russia

• Electricity outages: contact your provider. The main providers in Moscow are the Moscow United Electric Grid Company (495 983 1641) and Mosenergosbyt (800 555 0555).
• Gas leakages/issues: call 104 in an emergency or you can also contact your provider if there’s an outage. MOSGAZ is Moscow’s main gas provider – call (495) 660 2002.
• Water outages: contact your provider. The main providers in Moscow are Mosvodokanal (499 763 3434), Mosvodostok (495 657 8738), Rosvodokanal (495 514 0211), Russian Communal Systems (495 783 3232), and Evraziyski (495 780 8060).
• Telephone issues: if you have an issue with your landline telephone, you can contact Rostelecom (499 999 8283).

Road and traffic emergencies in Russia

If you are involved in a traffic accident in Russia, stop the vehicle immediately, turn on your hazard lights, and also display your warning triangle. In a minor accident with no casualties, swap phone numbers, addresses, insurance details, and full names with other parties involved.

The Russian police also provide a full guide on what to do in a traffic emergency.

LGBTQ+ services in Russia

• Sphere (сфера)
• Parni+ (Парни плюс)
• Coming Out

Bear in mind that since Russia added the ‘International LGBT movement’ to its list of extremist and terrorist organizations, these sites and services may no longer operate in the country. You may still be able to access their advice online.

Homelessness services in Russia

• Nochlezhka: not-for-profit organization helping homeless people across Russia since 1990.

Animal services in Russia

If you find a pet in Russia, you should take it to a veterinarian, who can see if the pet has identification and search databases if so.

• Pet ID: a database of electronically registered animals (Russian only, however).
• Russia Pet: a database of pets, connected with European records (Russian only, however).

Embassies and services for foreign nationals in Russia

Russia is staggeringly vast, with a diverse set of both tourists as well as foreign national residents. As a result, you’ll find embassies and consulates dotted all over the country, serving the immigrants and tourists of the region. For a complete list of embassies and consulates in Russia, consult EmbassyPages.

Some of the most relevant embassies for foreign residents and tourists include:

• China: The Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Moscow is located at Druzhby Street 6 (ул. Дружбы, Ulitsa Druzhby). Their phone numbers are +7 (499) 951 84 43, +7 (499) 951 85 84 (consular services in Chinese), and +7 (499) 951 84 35 (consular services in Russian). China also has Consulates in Irkutsk (Иркутск), Kazan (Казань), Khabarovsk (Хабаровск), Saint Petersburg (Санкт-Петербург), Vladivostok (Владивосток), and Yekaterinburg (Екатеринбург).
• Kazakhstan: The Embassy of Kazakhstan in Moscow is located at Chistoprudny Boulevard 3/3 (Чистопрудный бул., Chistoprudnyy bul.). Their phone number is +7 (925) 897 71 14. Kazakhstan also has Consulates in Astrakhan (Астрахань), Kazan, Omsk (Омск), Saint Petersburg.
• Tajikistan: The Embassy of Tajikistan in Moscow is located at Granatniy Avenue 13 (Гранатный пер., Granatnyy Pereulok). Their phone numbers are +7 (499) 230 00 76 and +7 (499) 238 36 20. Tajikistan also maintains Consulates in Krasnodar (Краснодар), Novosibirsk (Новосибирск), Saint Petersburg, Ufa (Уфа), and Yekaterinburg.
• Uzbekistan: The Embassy of Uzbekistan in Moscow is located at 2-Y Kazachiy Avenue 2 (2-й Казачий пер., 2-Y Kazachiy Pereulok). Their phone numbers are +7 (499) 230 00 76 and +7 (499) 238 36 20. Uzbekistan also maintains Consulates in Kazan, Novosibirsk, Rostov-on-Don, Saint Petersburg, Vladivostok, and Yekaterinburg.

Lost or stolen property in Russia

• Lost and stolen property: if you suspect the theft of a valuable item in Russia, you should contact your local police force. If you’ve lost an item on a train in Russia, you should visit the lost and found desk in the relevant train station.
• Found passports: if you find someone’s passport in Russia, you should take it to the nearest police station or the passport office from which it was issued.
• Lost bank cards: if you lose your credit or debit card in Russia, contact your provider as soon as possible to have the card frozen.

What to do in an emergency in Russia

When you call Russian emergency services, you should follow these tips:

• State your name, telephone number, the location where help is necessary, the situation and if it’s still happening, how many people require help, and whether there are weapons or dangerous substances involved.
• Don’t forget the code to your parking lot or apartment building.
• Never hang up until you are invited to do so.
• If you have known medical problems or regularly take prescription drugs, make sure you at least know how to say their names in Russian to the operator.
• If you have children, be prepared to cite their ages and how much they weigh (in kilograms) in case you need to call an anti-poison center or to administer medication.
• In a situation where you’re dealing with intoxications, make sure to inform them of what was taken and also, if possible, give them the rest of what was consumed.

Emergency terms and phrases in Russia

Useful resources

• Russian Police: how to report a crime
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs: find your country’s embassy in Russia
• UK Government: advice on living in Russia