Is Russia abandoning the 'subway for cities over 1 million people' doctrine? Inherited from Soviet times, when population of a Russian city exceeds 1 million people, that city qualifies for a subway system. Plans are prepared and implementation starts. With this doctrine, there are subways that have been built in the past i Russia : Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan, Yekaterinburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Novosibirsk and Samara.

Gazeta.ru write that this doctrine may be abandoned now. Gazeta.ru write Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Marat Khusnullin, said to President Vladimir Putin "it is not practical to build subways for cities over 1 million people". Deputy PM says in the future Russia must rely on railroads for cities over a million people, instead of subways. Subways are simply too expensive.

Gazeta.ru write that there are already several Russian cities where subway construction has been planned and even started. According to Deputy PM, the existing projects must be adapted or finished at lower costs.

https://www.gazeta.ru/social/2021/05/19/13599416.shtml