This usually means that one of the following conditions is fulfilled.

1. The author of this work died:^[1][2]
   • (a) before January 1, 1952 or
   • (b) between January 1, 1952 and January 1, 1956, did not work during the Great Patriotic War and did not participate in it.
2. This work was originally published anonymously or under a pseudonym:
   • (a) before January 1, 1943 and the name of the author did not become known during 50 years after publication, counted from January 1 of the year following the year of publication, or
   • (b) between January 1, 1943 and January 1, 1956, and the name of the author did not become known during 70 years after publication, counted from January 1 of the year following the year of publication.
3. This work is a film (a video fragment or a single shot from it):
   • (a) which was first shown before January 1, 1943^[2] or
   • (b) which was created by legal entity between January 1, 1929 and January 1, 1956, provided that it was first shown in the stated period or was not shown until August 3, 1993.
4. This work is an information report (including photo report), which was created by an employee of TASS, ROSTA, or KarelfinTAG as part of that person’s official duties between July 10, 1925^[3] and January 1, 1956, provided that it was first released in the stated period or was not released until August 3, 1993.

The Russian Federation (early Soviet Russia, RSFSR) is the historical heir but not legal successor of the Russian Empire, and the Russian Empire was not party to the Berne Convention (it was not country of Union for the protection of the rights of authors in their literary and artistic works), so according to article 5 of the Convention this work has no country of origin except:

• in the case of cinematographic work the maker of which has his headquarters or his habitual residence in a country of the Union, the country of origin shall be that country,
• in the case of architecture erected in a country of the Union or other artistic works incorporated in a building or other structure located in a country of the Union, the country of origin shall be that country,
• in the case of other works if the author is a national of a country of the Union¹, the country of origin shall be that country.

¹ - Author who is not a national of a country of the Union but who has his habitual residence in a country of the Union, be assimilated to national of that country.