The Number Of HIV Cases In The Russian Army Has Jumped 2000% Since The Start Of The War

What's the reason?

Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the number of HIV infections among Russian military personnel has increased by 2,000%, writes The Moscow Times. According to a new report by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the sharp rise is linked both to conditions on the front lines - unprotected sex among the military and drug use - and to the policies of the Russian authorities, who, under the guise of protecting "traditional values," have increased pressure on HIV prevention and education organizations.

According to the foundation, by the end of 2022, the number of infections in the army has increased 13 times over pre-war levels, and by the end of 2024 - 20 times. Experts warn, "The demographic and economic consequences of the outbreak will be felt for decades and could be even more devastating than the consequences from the invasion of Ukraine."

The report also points to the overall unfavorable situation with HIV in Russia. Since 2022, the country has consistently ranked among the world's top five countries in terms of new infections, behind only South Africa, Mozambique, Nigeria and India. In 2021, Russia accounted for 3.9% of all new HIV cases in the world - more than Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia or Kenya.

"There is no objective reason why HIV rates are declining worldwide but continue to rise in Russia. This is due solely to political decisions," Carnegie Endowment analysts emphasize. As an example, they cite the Kremlin's actions against HIV prevention organizations.

On April 3, the Russian Prosecutor General's Office declared "undesirable" the activities of the Elton John AIDS Foundation, a charitable organization founded by British musician Elton John that treats, informs and expands access to HIV/AIDS medical care. The reason was the alleged promotion of "non-traditional sexual relationships." The organization, founded in 1992 and working in more than 90 countries, aims to fight HIV stigma, protect LGBTQ+ people and end the AIDS epidemic. Russian authorities, however, have accused the foundation of "promoting Western models of family and sex change."

According to Rospotrebnadzor's Central Research Institute of Epidemiology, by the fall of 2022, 1 percent of Russia's population - about 1.5 million people - had been diagnosed with HIV. "Russia has made rather sad 'progress' - up to 1.5 million infected people. This is 1% of the population," stated Vadim Pokrovsky, head of the department of AIDS epidemiology and prevention. His forecast is disappointing: by 2030, the number of new infections may reach 660,000.

In the age group from 15 to 49 years old, the infection rate in Russia is 1.5%. This is higher than in most African countries: for example, in Ethiopia it is 0.9%, in Congo - 0.7%, in Nigeria - 1.3%. Russia is 3-15 times ahead of European countries by this indicator: in Germany, for example, HIV is detected in 0.1% of the population aged 15-49, in Italy - in 0.2%, in Spain - in 0.4%, and in Portugal - in 0.5%.

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