You cannot open a new AWS account from Russia in 2026: since March 2022 AWS has not accepted new sign-ups from Russia or Belarus, and Russian-issued cards do not work for payment. If you need an SES-style sending service, the practical options are Yandex Cloud Postbox (SES-compatible API), Russian providers such as Unisender Go, or an SMTP relay that accepts crypto, such as Bulko.
What AWS actually changed
In March 2022 Amazon published an update on its business in Russia and Belarus stating that it would no longer accept new Russia and Belarus-based AWS sign-ups (Amazon's statement). The same post notes that AWS has no data centers, infrastructure or offices in Russia. Press coverage at the time reported that the restriction applied to new accounts and that existing customers were not directly affected.
The contract matters too. Section 11.6 of the AWS Customer Agreement requires both parties to comply with sanctions and export control laws, including programs run by OFAC. An account that was created successfully can still be closed if it does not meet those rules.
Payment is the other wall. Visa and Mastercard suspended operations in Russia in 2022, so cards issued by Russian banks are declined by foreign services, and Mir cards are generally not accepted abroad either.
Can you still use Amazon SES from Russia?
- An older account owned and paid by a company outside Russia. It may keep working, but whether it is compliant is a question for your lawyer and for AWS, not a technical one.
- A new account with a Russian name or address. Per AWS's own statement, these sign-ups are not accepted.
- Signing up through a VPN, borrowed identity or a third-party card. This breaks AWS terms. The account can be closed at any time, taking your sending, verified domains and configuration with it. For mail that carries orders and password resets, that risk is hard to justify.
Even a legitimate account starts in the SES sandbox. According to the AWS documentation, sandbox accounts can only send to verified addresses, up to 200 messages per 24 hours and 1 message per second, until AWS manually approves a production access request.
Amazon SES alternatives compared
| Option | How you connect | Payment | Main drawback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yandex Cloud Postbox | SMTP or an AWS SES-compatible API | Yandex Cloud billing account, priced in rubles | Requires a Yandex Cloud account and billing, developer-oriented |
| Unisender Go | SMTP or API | Unisender plans | Check current prices on the provider's site |
| Bulko SMTP Relay | SMTP on ports 587, 465, 2525 | Card (Stripe) or crypto, one-time packages from $5 | No free SMTP trial, default limit of 2,000 emails per day |
| Your own server (Postfix on a VPS) | Your own SMTP | Server rental only | You manage IP reputation yourself, and port 25 is often blocked by hosts |
Yandex Cloud Postbox: the closest SES equivalent
Postbox accepts mail from your application and delivers it, just like SES. Its API is compatible with AWS SES, so code built on the AWS SDK or calls such as aws sesv2 send-email can usually be pointed at the endpoint https://postbox.cloud.yandex.net. For SMTP, the quickstart lists host postbox.cloud.yandex.net, port 587 (STARTTLS) or 465 (SMTPS), with an API key ID as the username.
The pricing page says the first 2,000 outgoing emails each month are not billed, with a per-1,000 ruble rate after that. You need an active Yandex Cloud billing account, domains are verified with DKIM records, and the console is built for developers rather than marketers.
Unisender Go: a Russian transactional email service
Unisender Go supports SMTP and API sending and, according to the provider, runs entirely on servers in Russia. That helps if personal data localization or paying as a Russian legal entity matters to you. Check its site for current per-email pricing.
Bulko: an SMTP relay you can pay for with crypto
Bulko SMTP Relay fits when you need a standard SMTP server for a website, CRM or mail client and a Russian card is not an option. Besides Visa and Mastercard (via Stripe), it accepts crypto: USDT, BTC and other coins.
Payment is one-time, with no subscription, and unused emails never expire:
- 5,000 emails: $5 ($1.00 per 1K)
- 20,000 emails: $15 ($0.75 per 1K)
- 50,000 emails: $30 ($0.60 per 1K)
- 150,000 emails: $60 ($0.40 per 1K)
Settings: host smtp.bulko.io, port 587 (STARTTLS), 465 (SSL/TLS) or 2525 when your host blocks the others. Credentials are shown in Dashboard under SMTP Access and emailed right after payment. You can send from any address on a domain you control, and optional domain verification gives you a DKIM record (selector bk1) and a CNAME bnc.<your domain> for return-path so SPF, DKIM and DMARC align.
The limits, plainly: there is no free SMTP trial (the 500 sign-up credits are for the separate Campaign Platform). The default limit is 2,000 emails per day per SMTP account, raised on request via [email protected]. It is outgoing only, with no inbox or IMAP. Every message passes a content filter (rules plus AI) for phishing, malware and scams, and rejected messages get 554 5.7.1. Purchased lists and unsolicited mail to personal addresses are prohibited by the acceptable use policy. Unused packages can be refunded within 14 days.
Running your own mail server
Postfix on a VPS is cheapest in money and most expensive in time. You configure SPF, DKIM, DMARC and PTR, watch your IP on blocklists (the blacklist checker helps), and handle rejections from large mailbox providers yourself. Many clouds restrict outbound port 25: Google Cloud blocks it to external destinations and Amazon EC2 throttles it by default. For small projects this rarely pays off.
How to choose
- Your code already uses the SES SDK: start with Yandex Cloud Postbox for the shortest migration.
- You need data localization and a contract with a Russian entity: look at Russian providers such as Unisender Go.
- You need plain SMTP for a site or CMS, crypto payment and no subscription: Bulko fits.
- You have an admin and time for maintenance: run your own server.
FAQ
Can I register an AWS account with a Russian passport?
According to Amazon's official statement, AWS has not accepted new sign-ups from Russia and Belarus since March 2022. Working around that with someone else's details or a VPN breaks AWS terms and risks account closure.
Will my old Amazon SES account be blocked?
The 2022 restriction targeted new customers. The AWS agreement still requires compliance with U.S. sanctions law, so the status of a specific account depends on who owns and pays for it. Only AWS can give a definitive answer.
Is there a service with an Amazon SES-compatible API?
Yes. Yandex Cloud Postbox offers an AWS SES-compatible API as well as SMTP. In most cases you change the endpoint and credentials.
How can I pay for SMTP without a foreign card?
Russian providers accept payment on their own terms. Bulko accepts crypto (USDT, BTC and other coins) for one-time packages with no subscription.
How does the price compare with Amazon SES?
AWS lists outbound email at $0.10 per 1,000. Bulko costs $1.00 to $0.40 per 1,000 depending on the package, and Yandex Cloud Postbox gives 2,000 free emails a month with a ruble rate after that.
