This title is misleading. The article is just a rehash that says the new Russian regulations require them to pay, something that came out weeks ago. It does not say they are going to pay it. In fact, it says it would be unprofitable, since it is more than the revenue generated there by a large margin.
I cannot see MC/Visa paying. This gives Russia the ability to do a form of 'chargeback' against MC/Visa which they cannot stand. The outcome could be MC/Visa leaving Russia suddenly leaving Russia without them.
Either way I have my popcorn ready, Bitcoin will benefit even if only slightly.
RT:
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law on foreign payment systems on May 5 that requires foreign payment systems to be levied at 25 percent of an average amount of transfers profit during one calendar day in Russia, to be paid each quarter to the Central Bank. The law will be enacted on July 1.
Moscow Times:
The legislation will require international payment systems who intend to remain on the Russian market beyond July 1 to place a security deposit in the Central Bank equal to the cumulative value of two days of transactions processed in Russia.
Lols
They are not supposed to pay anything , just make a deposit.