Authorities deepening poverty: intelligence agency reports rise in number of homeless children in Russia

The number of homeless and neglected children increased in Russia in 2025. Police identified more than 57,000 such minors, which is 2.1% more than a year earlier. This is the first increase in this indicator in the past five years.

Source: Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine (FISU)

Details: Experts link the rise in the number of children left without proper supervision or housing primarily to socio-economic problems in Russia.

Despite claims by the Russian authorities about a reduction in poverty levels, a significant part of the population has very low incomes.

According to Russian statistics, about 9.8 million people (6.7% of the country's population) were living below the poverty line in 2025.

The poverty level there is determined on the basis of the subsistence minimum of the fourth quarter of 2020 (RUB 11,329 or US$135), with further indexation for inflation. By the end of 2025, this figure had risen to RUB 17,146 (US$206).

Despite the indexation, even official statistics acknowledge that millions of Russians remain below the poverty line, which, according to experts, may contribute to the growth of social problems, including child homelessness.

Quote: "Moreover, it is the Russian government itself that is deepening the poverty of its own population by spending enormous resources on the war against Ukraine. Billions are being funnelled into the military machine, while the standard of living for Russians is falling and social problems are only intensifying."

Background: Earlier, the FISU reported that Russia created a federal register of pregnant women. It is intended to include data on all women registered before the 12th week of pregnancy.

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