Russia Deploys AI to Monitor River Traffic Violations in St. Petersburg

AI-powered surveillance is patrolling the waterways of St. Petersburg, helping authorities track violations and identify vessels with precision and speed.

Russia is turning to artificial intelligence to police its rivers. In St. Petersburg, 500 smart surveillance units have been deployed as part of the city’s Safe City initiative. These AI-driven systems are capable of detecting and documenting violations committed by boat operators in real time.

According to officials, neural networks flagged 62 river traffic violations in 2025 alone. In 2026, the city will expand its monitoring capacity with 10 additional AI-powered video systems positioned along key waterways.

The technology uses neural algorithms to automatically recognize vessels by their side numbers and names. It zooms in autonomously to identify the type and registration details of a ship—even at long range. The captured data is sent in real time to the State Inspectorate for Small Vessels, the Ministry of Transport, and law enforcement agencies.

Authorities say the system significantly eases the burden on maritime safety officials, providing a scalable way to keep river traffic under control without constant manual oversight. By combining machine learning with long-range imaging, Russia is creating a model that could reshape how cities monitor complex aquatic environments.