A new proposal has sparked debate in Russia regarding family relations. Mikhail Ivanov, a deputy of the Bryansk Regional Duma from the United Russia party, proposed imposing a fine of 40,000 rubles on citizens who get divorced. This was reported by TASS.
Presenting the initiative at the session of the World Russian People’s Council, the deputy also proposed introducing a 20,000-rubles payment for citizens entering into marriage. According to him, a divorce fine could serve as a “balancing factor” under difficult budget conditions.
Ivanov additionally emphasized the need to introduce a legal norm prohibiting the “discrediting of motherhood and childhood,” stating that excessive freedom must be restricted.
The issue is actively discussed at the federal level as well. Recently, a draft law was submitted to the State Duma requiring divorced parents to jointly participate in raising their child. The document proposes allowing the court to determine the order of joint upbringing when parents are unable to reach an agreement.
Russia’s divorce statistics are also noteworthy. According to the Public Opinion Research Center, the country ranks third in the world in the number of divorces: eight divorces per every ten marriages. In 2023, nearly 683,000 divorces were registered, and in 2024 — 644,000. At the same time, the number of marriages has also declined.
Starting from 2025, the official fee for divorce has been increased from 650 rubles to 5,000 rubles, and officials have explained this nearly eightfold rise as an effort to “strengthen Russian families.”
According to surveys, 33 percent of Russians cite financial difficulties as the reason for divorce, 15 percent mention misunderstanding, and 14 percent list infidelity and jealousy. Psychologists note that the general atmosphere of uncertainty and anxiety in the country may also have affected marriage stability.
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