New Year is coming in Moscow: where in Russia 2026 is celebrated together with the capital

At midnight Moscow time, the chimes will sound not only on Red Square in Moscow. St. Petersburg, Petrozavodsk, Pskov, Nizhny Novgorod, Vladimir, Rostov-on-Don, Sevastopol, Maikop, Makhachkala, Yaroslavl and Elista will celebrate the New Year together with the capital. For more information, see the Izvestia article.

Where in Russia does the New Year come at the same time as Moscow

Midnight on January 1, 2026 at 00:00 Moscow time will occur in the regions of Russia that live in the UTC+3 time zone, that is, at the same time as Moscow. This is one of the largest time zones in the country, uniting both Central Russia and parts of the northwestern and southern territories.

Festive events on Red Square, in parks and central streets of the country will begin at this very moment. Simultaneously with Moscow, New Year's Eve fireworks over the Neva River will be celebrated in St. Petersburg.

The celebrations will also affect the Belgorod, Bryansk, Vologda, Voronezh, Vladimir, Volgograd, Ivanovo, Kaluga, Orel, Ryazan, Rostov, Smolensk, Tver, Tula and Yaroslavl regions, the Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Mordovia, Chuvashia and Mari El. They all live in Moscow time.

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The Arkhangelsk Region, Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Pskov and Novgorod Regions also belong to UTC+3.

Residents of the southern territories of Crimea and Krasnodar Krai, Stavropol Krai, as well as the DPR and LPR will celebrate the New Year simultaneously with Central Russia, although climatic features create a different festive flavor — often without snow and with mild winter weather.

The North Caucasian republics of Adygea, Chechnya, Dagestan, Ingushetia, Kalmykia, North Ossetia—Alania, Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia will celebrate the holiday together with them.