According to a study conducted by the Patriarchal Commission of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) on Family Matters, Protection of Motherhood, and Childhood, private clinics across 76 constituent entities of the Russian Federation are reportedly violating legislation pertaining to abortions. The findings of this extensive monitoring, which specifically scrutinized irregularities in the provision and advertising of abortion services within private medical facilities, were released to RIA Novosti.
The research, conducted between September 2023 and October 2025, involved volunteers from the Patriarchal Commission who audited 1003 private clinics. This sample represented 36% of all private medical organizations across Russia. The primary objective was to assess their adherence to established regulations governing the performance of abortions. The investigation methodology included telephone inquiries and a thorough examination of advertising materials published on clinic websites.
The monitoring conclusively revealed that in the vast majority of regions — specifically 76 Russian federal subjects, constituting 85% of the total — private clinics are in clear disregard of legal norms. Alarmingly, 782 clinics (78% of the surveyed sample) were identified as being prepared to perform abortions without observing the mandatory “waiting periods” (also known as “days of silence”) or were actively promoting abortion services on their websites. These actions represent direct violations of both Article 56 of Federal Law No. 323 “On the Fundamentals of Health Protection of Citizens in the Russian Federation” and Federal Law No. 38 “On Advertising.”
Despite these significant legislative breaches, the study`s authors also highlighted a positive trend: based on data from Roszdravnadzor (the Federal Service for Surveillance in Healthcare) and the ROC`s internal monitoring, the total number of private clinics offering abortion services saw a reduction of 725 facilities. This decline, from 2813 to 2088 clinics, represents a 26% decrease between February 2023 and October 2025.
In response to the documented irregularities, ROC volunteers diligently prepared and submitted 732 formal appeals to various supervisory and law enforcement bodies. The majority of these appeals, exceeding 90%, were directed to the Prosecutor General`s Office of the Russian Federation. The remaining submissions were sent to the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Roszdravnadzor, and the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS).
Previously, Archpriest Fyodor Lukyanov, who chairs the Patriarchal Commission, publicly emphasized the profound emotional and psychological impact of abortion. He stated that women who undergo the procedure may experience a lifelong sense of deep regret, a condition often referred to as “post-abortion syndrome,” as the Church unequivocally views abortion as a “mortal sin of murder.” As a path to spiritual healing and reconciliation, he proposed confession, sincere repentance, and active engagement in public efforts aimed at preventing abortions.
The Russian Orthodox Church maintains a resolute and principled stance, asserting that human life commences at the moment of conception. Consequently, it unequivocally qualifies abortion as an act of murder and a grave sin. The Church consistently advocates for the legislative protection of human life at the intrauterine stage of development and supports a comprehensive ban on all abortions that are not necessitated by compelling medical indications. Furthermore, the Church has repeatedly voiced profound concern regarding abortions performed in private clinics. It asserts that these institutions frequently fail to comply with critical legal requirements, such as observing mandated “days of silence” and providing essential psychological counseling. Concerns also include the alleged performance of abortions at later gestational stages than legally permitted, insufficient warnings to women about the potential negative health consequences of the procedure, and a lack of transparency in providing accurate statistics on the number of abortions performed.
