Beer has only been considered an alcoholic beverage in Russia since 2011
News News blog
It was not until 2011 that beer was declared an alcoholic beverage in Russia by law. Until then, beer was not considered an alcoholic beverage but a foodstuff due to its comparatively low alcohol content of less than 10 percent.

Source:
T-Online
In recent years, beer consumption has steadily increased and the consumption of vodka has steadily decreased. Since many people in Russia die every year as a result of their alcohol consumption, the Russian government has decided to take stronger action against the alcoholism problem in the future.