The Russian government is contemplating the introduction of criminal penalties for illegal cryptocurrency mining, in addition to existing administrative measures. Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak announced on December 8 that the government intends to regulate digital currency circulation and impose both administrative and criminal liabilities for violations. Legal experts indicate that criminal charges could be applied in cases where illegal mining causes significant damage to energy infrastructure, differentiating it from current laws on energy theft and unauthorized business activities. This proposed legal framework seeks to fill legislative gaps and ensure penalties are proportional to the scale of violations.