Polygamy in Russia

A bill against advertising polygamy appeared in the database of the lower house of parliament as early as the end of December 2024. The document was drafted by Nina Ostanina, chairperson of the State Duma Committee on Family Protection, Paternity, Maternity and Childhood. The deputy proposed to identify information popularizing such unions on the Web and to prohibit its dissemination among children.

However, the government did not support the initiative at the time, calling for its finalization. In particular, the authorities recommended that the term “polygamy” be clarified. In April 2025, Ostanina told the Parliamentary Gazette that she had prepared amendments defining the phenomenon as having two or more wives, an interpretation she borrowed from the 1960 Criminal Code.

The parliamentarian also announced plans to support the project of deputies of the Samara Gubernaya Duma on amendments to the CAO, according to which fines will be introduced for citizens who promote marriages with several wives:

• 50-100 thousand rubles - for individuals;
• 100-200 thousand rubles - for officials;
• from 800 thousand to one million rubles - for legal entities.

Meanwhile, polygamy in Russia is practiced by quite a few men. A vivid example is 40-year-old Moscow resident Ivan Sukhov, who cohabits in the same apartment with three women and 14 children. Another adherent of such a family model is 40-year-old Sergei Dudin from Aleksandrov: he calls himself Sukhov's disciple and is in a relationship with two women. At the same time, the man told journalists that he intends to find a third and then a fourth spouse.

At the same time, some men who want to create a union with several women, looking for candidates in special groups in social networks. There they put questionnaires with basic information about themselves and list the requirements for the future chosen one: in particular, to be beautiful, economic and not jealous. The desire for a polygamous union is justified by certain "ancient Slavic traditions".

Nina Ostanina, chairwoman of the State Duma Committee for Family Protection, explained to Moscow 24 that despite the legal impossibility of polygamy in Russia, some men circumvent the law by not registering marriages with their chosen women. In doing so, they act dishonestly not only towards women, but also towards children.

The deputy emphasized that the concept of polygamy contradicts traditional family values. Therefore, such unions should be banned throughout the country, regardless of the region.

"We have a secular state and it is impossible for religious norms, for example, to dominate the law. The law, like the Family Code, is the same for everyone," Ostanina explained.

Family psychologist Olesya Pokusayeva told Moscow 24 that those who have seen examples of such relationships in childhood are usually prone to polygamy. And there is no question of a specific psychotype: it can be either a man who sees girls as “trophies” or an insecure woman who is willing to tolerate neglect.

According to the psychologist, most often the initiator of the union with several wives is a man. Women are forced to accept the situation: for example, because of the presence of children, emotional or financial dependence. Against this background, girls have a high risk of developing psychological and even physical problems.

Subsequently, children can adopt such a family model, the psychologist emphasized. This is fraught with the fact that the girl will follow her mother's path and enter into co-dependent relationships, and the boy will perceive disrespect for women as a standard for himself.