Kimi API in Russia: Kimi K3.1 Pro paid in USDT, no foreign-issued card
On RuAPI the Kimi API means three Moonshot models: Kimi K3.1 Pro with a 1M-token context, its faster version kimi-k3.1-pro-highspeed and the previous Kimi K3. On RuAPI they are available at the OpenAI-compatible address https://www.ruapi.ai/v1, and you top up in USDT, which you can buy with rubles via SBP. The same key also works for Claude, GPT, DeepSeek, GLM and Qwen.
from openai import OpenAI
client = OpenAI(
api_key="sk-...",
base_url="https://www.ruapi.ai/v1",
)
resp = client.chat.completions.create(
model="kimi-k3.1-pro",
messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Hello"}],
)
print(resp.choices[0].message.content)An example on the regular OpenAI SDK: your RuAPI key in place of sk-..., base_url set to https://www.ruapi.ai/v1, model kimi-k3.1-pro. For the faster version, change the model name to kimi-k3.1-pro-highspeed.
Why the Kimi API is easier to connect from Russia through RuAPI
Moonshot's API only works after a top-up, and paying from Russia is hard.
According to Moonshot's docs, Kimi K3.1 Pro unlocks after a top-up of at least $1. The Chinese console platform.kimi.com takes Alipay and WeChat Pay, and Visa and Mastercard cards from Russian banks haven't worked abroad since March 2022. On RuAPI you top up in USDT, from 5 USDT; the docs have a guide to buying USDT with rubles via SBP.
A Moonshot key only works with Kimi models.
When you work on code, it helps to keep several models at hand: Kimi for some tasks, Claude or DeepSeek for others. With a RuAPI key you switch between kimi-k3.1-pro, Claude, GPT, DeepSeek, GLM and Qwen by changing only the model name, and spending on every model is collected in one request log.
A coding agent needs the exact address and the exact model name.
Cline, Kilo Code, OpenCode and Hermes connect Kimi through an OpenAI-compatible provider: the address https://www.ruapi.ai/v1 and a model ID such as kimi-k3.1-pro. The RuAPI docs have a step-by-step guide for each of these apps, and the console log shows every request — model, tokens and charge.
How to get a key for the Kimi API: 3 steps
This is a RuAPI key, not a Moonshot key: with it you call Kimi models through RuAPI over the OpenAI-compatible protocol. You create it right after signing up — no phone number and no foreign card.
Sign up and top up
Sign up at www.ruapi.ai with email, Google or Yandex. The $0.05 trial that new accounts usually get right away doesn't cover Kimi: in trial mode only claude-haiku-5-5, deepseek-flash and gpt-6-luna work.
Kimi models unlock after your first top-up — in USDT or USDC, from 5 USDT. If you have no USDT, buy it with rubles via SBP following docs.ruapi.ai/en/buy-usdt. Foreign-issued cards are accepted too.
Create a key for Kimi
In the Console: API Keys → "Create API key". One key works for kimi-k3.1-pro, kimi-k3.1-pro-highspeed and kimi/kimi-k3, as well as Claude, GPT and DeepSeek.
Give the agent in your editor its own key with a spending limit: a long session can't spend more than that amount.
Set the address and the model
- Code in Python, Node.js or cURL: base_url https://www.ruapi.ai/v1 and model kimi-k3.1-pro — as in the example above.
- Cline and Kilo Code: the OpenAI Compatible provider, address https://www.ruapi.ai/v1, model kimi-k3.1-pro — docs.ruapi.ai/en/integrations/cline, docs.ruapi.ai/en/integrations/kilo-code
- Kilo Code, OpenCode and Hermes: an OpenAI-compatible provider with the same address — docs.ruapi.ai/en/integrations/kilo-code, docs.ruapi.ai/en/integrations/opencode, docs.ruapi.ai/en/integrations/hermes
- n8n: OpenAI credentials with Base URL https://www.ruapi.ai/v1, the model ID from the list or typed in, Use Responses API off — docs.ruapi.ai/en/integrations/n8n
IDs and context sizes of all Kimi models are in the model catalog: docs.ruapi.ai/en/models
Kimi API on RuAPI: the essentials
Address and format
base_url: https://www.ruapi.ai/v1
format: OpenAI-compatible
key: sk-... from the RuAPI console
Kimi models
kimi-k3.1-pro — 1M context
kimi-k3.1-pro-highspeed — faster
kimi/kimi-k3 — previous
Payment
USDT / USDC, from 5 USDT
or a foreign-issued card
no subscription — tokens only
Kimi API prices on RuAPI
Three Kimi models and, for comparison, DeepSeek V4 Pro, GLM-5.3 and Claude Sonnet 5.5 — in USD per 1M tokens, from the pricing page. No subscription: only the tokens you use are charged to your balance.
| model | input $/M | output $/M |
|---|---|---|
| kimi-k3.1-pro | $2.40 cache read $0.24 | $12.00 |
| kimi-k3.1-pro-highspeed | $4.80 cache read $0.24 | $24.00 |
| kimi/kimi-k3 | $3.60 cache read $0.36 | $18.00 |
| deepseek-v4-pro | $1.58 cache read $0.0600 | $4.75 |
| glm-5.3 | $1.44 cache read $0.36 | $5.02 |
| claude-sonnet-5-5 | $2.40 cache read $0.12 | $12.00 |
Columns: input — new input tokens, "cache read" — input tokens served from the prompt cache, output — the model's reply. kimi-k3.1-pro-highspeed is the faster variant of K3.1 Pro: its input and output cost twice as much, cache reads cost the same.
Kimi via RuAPI or directly from Moonshot
| Kimi via RuAPI | Moonshot directly (platform.kimi.ai) | |
|---|---|---|
| Paying from Russia | USDT or USDC from 5 USDT — USDT can be bought with rubles via SBP; a foreign-issued card works too | Prepaid, K3.1 Pro unlocks after a top-up from $1; the Chinese console platform.kimi.com takes Alipay and WeChat Pay |
| Models | Kimi, Claude, GPT, Gemini, DeepSeek, GLM, Qwen — on one key | Kimi models only |
| API address | https://www.ruapi.ai/v1, OpenAI-compatible | https://api.moonshot.ai/v1, OpenAI-compatible |
Moonshot details are from the platform.kimi.ai docs (the Kimi K3.1 Pro quickstart and the limits page; platform.moonshot.ai redirects there) and the kimi.com help page on API top-ups, checked 1 November 2026. Visa and Mastercard suspended operations in Russia in March 2022.