Russia is planning to ratchet up eightfold a fee on divorces as Moscow seeks more revenue to fund President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, while also discouraging people from ending marriage.
The Finance Ministry drafted a proposal to raise the divorce fee to 5,000 rubles ($58.75) from 650 rubles as part of a broader increase in state duties for various services, according to the Moscow-based RBC newspaper. The fee for marriages would remain unchanged at 350 rubles under the proposal.
The subsequent fee for divorces would equal roughly a quarter of Russia’s minimum monthly wage. Russia registered 683,700 divorces in 2023, according to the paper, which cited the federal statistics service. That’s more than a 5% increase from pre-war levels, and one of the highest rates in the world.
The Finance Ministry’s draft also included a threefold fee increase for name changes in official documents and an increase in the cost for businesses to submit complaints to the country’s antitrust office to 400,000 rubles from 35,000 rubles.
The Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine continues to put pressure on government finances. Russia has run a budget deficit since the end of 2022, a reflection of the steep cost of Putin’s war that includes high recruitment bonuses to lure more fighters amid significant casualties.
The government earlier announced plans to raise taxes on businesses and high earners that will start to bring additional revenue to the budget in 2025.