[Russia] New Biometric Passports With Empty Chips Issued / Moscow Times, 14 January 2008
http://www.moscowtimes.ru/stories/2008/01/14/013.html
Svetlana Osadchuk
Issue 3819. Page 3.
"The first biometric passports for Russians traveling abroad will be issued this month as Russia joins the world community in its efforts to fight terrorism, the Federal Migration Service said Friday. The passport will include a special photograph of the holder and contain a microchip for digital finger or retina prints."