Residents of St. Petersburg can no longer bring non-functional or unpowered electronic devices into the metro system, according to reports from local citizens to Fontanka.
Passengers carrying electronics are now required to demonstrate their devices are operational by turning them on, sources told the publication. However, metro staff prohibit charging devices using station outlets. Those with dead batteries or devices that can't function without a power source are denied entry.
One resident, Anton, shared his frustration with Fontanka: "I asked—what if I just bought a monitor or computer from a store? Would they stop me too? The response was brutal: 'Yes, take a taxi instead.'"
The St. Petersburg metro's press office clarified to the outlet that staff are enforcing Ministry of Transport Order No. 34, implemented in March. The regulation mandates inspecting electronics by verifying they can be powered on.