Russia proposes introducing penalties for social parasitism

18.11.2025

Article published on the moscowtimes.ru website

Vitaly Borodin, Head of the Federal Project on Security and Anti-Corruption and known for writing denunciations of Russians, has proposed punishing citizens for social parasitism and submitted his proposal to Valentina Matvienko, Chair of the Federation Council. In his document, which Absatz media has seen, he suggests establishing criminal liability for avoiding community service and introducing sentences of up to one year’s imprisonment.

In justifying the need for such a measure, Borodin cites labour shortages, rising crime linked to illegal migration and continuing demographic problems. Borodin recommends punishing parasitism only if the employment service has provided the individual with job opportunities and they have no valid reason for not working. He also states that, in addition to imprisonment, Russians may be subject to up to 360 hours compulsory community service, and corrective and forced labour for up to two years and one year respectively.

Russia has had no legislation that defines parasitism as a criminal offence since 1991. This is currently regulated under the Law on Employment, which recognises the possibility of unemployment and provides social benefits to those who have lost their job.

There has often been talk of reinstating liability for parasitism in Russia. In 2016, the Government discussed the introduction of a special tax, which was supported by the Ministry of Finance, while the Labour Ministry proposed setting an annual levy of 20,000 roubles. In 2023, there were calls in the State Duma to send unemployed Russians to fight in the war in Ukraine.

In autumn this year, Valentina Matvienko again raised the issue of mandatory contributions for unemployed citizens, proposing a levy of 45,000 roubles per year for health insurance, which is the equivalent to three months’ maximum unemployment benefit.

Anatoly Aksakov, Chair of the Duma Committee on Financial Markets, has said that unemployed people are effectively “parasites” and are obligated to make contributions to the pension system and the Federal Mandatory Health Insurance Fund.

Source: https://www.moscowtimes.ru/2025/11/17/v-rossii-predlozhili-vvesti-nakazanie-za-tuneyadstvo-a180275