Russia's Far East region of Chukotka, near the border with Alaska, has become the first Russian region to bring in 2011.
Russia this year begins celebrating New Year's one hour later than before and will celebrate it only nine times this year, as opposed to 11 times in previous years, due to a reduction in time zones signed into law by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in March.
The Chukotka Peninsula joined the same time zone as the Kamchatka Peninsula after the law came into effect in March.
Russia will bring in 2011 nine times, with the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad celebrating one hour after Moscow, which will happen in just under eight hours.
MOSCOW, December 31 (RIA Novosti)
