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Short answer: Google AI Studio is a Google website where you can chat with Gemini models and get a Gemini API key. Russia is not on the list of countries where AI Studio is available, so from Russia it shows “not available in your region”. The same Gemini models — Gemini 4 Argon, Gemini 3.1 Pro, Flash-Lite and Nano Banana for images — are available from Russia with a RuAPI key: in a convenient chat app (for example, Cherry Studio) or in your code. No VPN needed.

Why AI Studio doesn’t open

The country list is on the Available regions page on ai.google.dev (updated 28 April 2026, checked 22 October 2026). The list may change.

How to use Gemini without AI Studio

1

RuAPI key

Sign up at www.ruapi.ai (with email, Google or Yandex), top up your balance in USDT from 5 USDT — if you don’t have USDT yet, buy it with rubles via SBP (Faster Payments System) — and in the Console open API Keys → Create API key.
2

A chat, like in AI Studio

Install the free Cherry Studio or Open WebUI app, set the address to https://www.ruapi.ai/v1 and add your key — then pick a Gemini model, for example gemini-4-argon. No coding needed.
3

Or via the API, in your own code

You don’t need a separate Google library — a regular OpenAI SDK works. If your code is already written with the Google GenAI SDK, change the key and the address.
A step-by-step guide to getting a Gemini key is in How to get the Gemini API in Russia.

Which Gemini models are available

Current prices are in the table on the Gemini API in Russia page and on the pricing page.

FAQ

Without a VPN, you can’t: AI Studio checks your country and shows “not available in your region”. But AI Studio is only a window to the Gemini models: the same models are available from Russia with a RuAPI key — in a chat app or in code.
No. In supported countries, AI Studio has free limits; through RuAPI, Gemini requests are paid — pay as you go, no subscription, top-ups from 5 USDT. We usually give new users $0.05 right away to try deepseek-flash.
Yes. Nano Banana Pro (gemini-3-pro-image-preview) and Nano Banana 2 (gemini-3.1-flash-image) work with the same key via /v1/chat/completions. Code examples are in the image generation guide.
RuAPI is an independent API gateway, not an official Google partner. Through the gateway, you reach the same Gemini models from Google — with no model substitution and no quality cuts.
Cards from Russian banks, including Mir, are not accepted. USDT and USDC work — you can buy them with rubles via SBP — as does a Visa / Mastercard card from a foreign bank.

Next steps

Gemini API in Russia: prices

Models, prices, comparison with direct access.

How to get the Gemini API in Russia

Step by step: key, top-up, first request.

Cherry Studio

Chat with Gemini, Claude and GPT without code.

Image generation

Nano Banana and GPT Image — code examples.