The key facts

  • Switching to winter tires is recommended at +5–7 °C and with the onset of sustained frosts
  • From December 1 through February, the use of summer tires is prohibited by the Customs Union technical regulation
  • Winter tires must bear the M+S, M S or M&S marking; studding is the driver's choice

Tire change timing: a recommendation and an obligation

Russia's Ministry of Transport has explained when motorists should switch to winter tires: according to the agency's recommendation, this should be done when the average daily temperature drops to +5–7 °C and sustained frosts set in. «Tires must be changed in a timely manner depending on weather conditions, and once December 1 arrives, it becomes mandatory,» says the statement published on the Ministry of Transport's official channel.

What the technical regulation requires

The requirement starting December 1 is tied to the Customs Union technical regulation «On the Safety of Wheeled Vehicles»: it prohibits the use of summer tires from December through February. At the same time, winter tires, as the Ministry of Transport reminded, may be either studded or non-studded — only the M+S, M S or M&S marking is mandatory. Thus, the regulation's rule itself has long been in force, and the agency merely reminded drivers of its boundaries and of the fact that until December, the choice of timing remains up to the driver and depends on the weather.

Meteorologists specified the timing for Moscow

For the Moscow region, the Hydrometeorological Centre provided a benchmark: on October 28, meteorologists recommended that drivers in Moscow and the region switch from summer to winter tires over the coming weekend and warned that from now on, weather forecasts would need to be monitored more closely. According to preliminary data, as early as October 31 and November 1, the average daily air temperature in the region will approach +5 °C — that is, the lower boundary of the range at which the Ministry of Transport advises changing tires.