ChatGPT in Russia: how to use GPT models in a web chat and via API

People searching for "ChatGPT in Russia" usually want one simple thing: to work with GPT models, while the official service is unavailable from Russia and does not accept Russian cards. Below is a hassle-free option: GPT models in the Zukko browser chat and via API, paid in rubles. We cover which models are available, what they cost and how to start in a few minutes.

Why official ChatGPT does not work for Russia

Russia is not on the list of countries OpenAI supports for its API (the list is in OpenAI's documentation; we checked it on October 7, 2026). The same page says plainly that using the services outside the listed countries may get your account blocked or suspended. The second problem is payment: you can't pay for the OpenAI subscription or API with a Russian bank card.

So trying to get an official account working is unreliable: you can lose both access and a prepaid balance. It makes more sense to use the same GPT models through a service that accepts payment from Russia.

What Zukko is and how it differs from ChatGPT

Zukko is an API gateway to Claude, GPT, Gemini, DeepSeek, Qwen and GLM models. The difference matters:

• It is not the ChatGPT app. You do not get an OpenAI account or the features of their app. You get access to GPT models: through the Zukko browser chat and through the API.
• No subscription. Your balance is in US dollars, and you pay for the tokens you actually use. Didn't use it for a week — you spent nothing.
• One key for all models. The same balance works for GPT, Claude, Gemini and DeepSeek.

If you used to pay for a subscription and are not sure what is cheaper, see the comparison API or a ChatGPT Plus subscription↗.

ChatGPT in Russia via a browser chat: step by step

The easiest way is the web chat, with nothing to install.

1. Sign up at zukko.pro↗.
2. Top up your balance in the dashboard, from $1.
3. Open the chat: zukko.pro/app/chat↗.
4. Pick a GPT model from the list and write as usual.

Usage is charged per token from the same balance. Models that accept image input (the "Images" column in the table below) can be used with pictures too.

Paying from Russia in rubles

The balance is kept in dollars, and you can top it up in familiar ways:

• SBP and a Russian bank card (Mir, Visa, Mastercard) — in rubles at the market rate at the time of payment;
• cryptocurrency — USDT and others;
• a foreign card (Mastercard EU) — with a fee of about 13%, amounts from $2 to $594.

The minimum top-up is $1. There is no sign-up bonus, but subscribing to the Telegram channel @zukkopro↗ gives a one-time $0.50: link Telegram in the dashboard, subscribe and click "Check". A detailed payment guide is in the article SBP payment step by step↗.

Which GPT models are available and what they cost

Prices are in USD per 1M tokens, as of October 7, 2026. "Index" is the intelligence index from the Zukko catalog, which is the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index (a composite score across benchmarks); a dash means there is no index data.

All of these models have a 1M-token context. The lineup and prices change: for the current list and prices, call GET https://api.zukko.pro/v1/models or open the Models page in the dashboard.

What a conversation costs

Let's price 1,000 messages, each with 1,500 input tokens (your question plus the chat history) and 500 output tokens. Formula: 1000 × (1500 × input + 500 × output) / 1,000,000, i.e. 1.5 × input + 0.5 × output:

• GPT-6.1 Sol: 1.5 × 0.27 + 0.5 × 1.32 = 0.405 + 0.66 = $1.065;
• GPT-6 Sol: 1.5 × 0.13 + 0.5 × 0.63 = 0.195 + 0.315 = $0.51;
• GPT-6 Luna: 1.5 × 0.04 + 0.5 × 0.21 = 0.06 + 0.105 = $0.165;
• GPT-6 Astra: 1.5 × 0.62 + 0.5 × 3.05 = 0.93 + 1.525 = $2.455.

This is a sample calculation at October 7, 2026 prices, not a promise of a final bill: your token volume will differ. Caching is not included. For GPT models, cache writes are not billed separately and cache reads cost less than input, so caching can only lower the total.

Which GPT model to choose

Choose by three things: price, intelligence index and whether you need image input.

• Hard tasks — look at GPT-6 Astra (index 53) and GPT-6.1 Sol (52). The indexes are close, and Sol costs noticeably less.
• Everyday questions and texts — GPT-6 Sol or GPT-5.6 Terra: the same price of 0.13 / 0.63, and both accept images.
• Bulk simple tasks — GPT-6 Luna, the cheapest GPT model in the catalog, but without image input.

The index is an averaged score; it won't tell you how a model handles your particular task. Ask two or three models the same 10–20 real questions of yours and compare the answers and the spend.

GPT models via API

If you are a developer, the same models are available through an OpenAI-compatible API. Create a key in the API keys↗ section — the full fetch_... key is shown only once, so save it right away. The official openai SDK works as is:

from openai import OpenAI

client = OpenAI(base_url="https://api.zukko.pro/v1", api_key="fetch_your_key")

response = client.chat.completions.create(
    model="gpt-6.1-sol",
    messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Outline an article about a family budget"}],
)
print(response.choices[0].message.content)

To switch models, change only model. You can set a daily and monthly dollar limit on the key and a list of allowed models, so you don't overspend by accident. If you have never worked with an API, start with the beginners' guide↗; more on the key itself is in the article an OpenAI API key in Russia↗.

FAQ

Is this the real ChatGPT?

No. ChatGPT is OpenAI's app. With Zukko you work with GPT models through Zukko's own chat and through the API. The interface and features differ from OpenAI's app.

Do I need a subscription?

No. You top up from $1 and pay for tokens. If you don't use it, the money stays on your balance.

Can I use it for free?

There is no free tier and no sign-up bonus. The only credit is $0.50 for subscribing to the @zukkopro channel, once per Telegram account.

Why might the prices in this article differ from the dashboard?

Model providers change prices often. This article uses prices as of October 7, 2026; current ones are on the Models page in the dashboard and in GET /v1/models.