Most Russian point‑of‑sale (POS) terminals support Visa, Mastercard, and American Express cards issued abroad. Merchants in major cities have upgraded their devices to EMV chip readers, reducing the risk of fraud. However, some smaller towns still rely on magnetic stripe readers, which may cause declines for newer cards. It is advisable to inform your bank of travel plans to avoid security blocks. Keep a backup card in case your primary one is rejected.