Kathrine Frich
Russia has quietly changed the rules governing how power is scrutinized.
Russia continues to redraw the boundaries of political transparency as the war in Ukraine reshapes the country’s governance.
New legislation adopted at the end of the year marks another step in how power and accountability are managed behind closed doors.
Rules rewritten
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a package of laws on December 28 abolishing the annual requirement for civil servants and lawmakers to publicly declare their income and assets.
The legislation was adopted in just two and a half weeks.
Under the new rules, declarations will now be required only at specific moments: when entering public service, moving to a new post, transferring between agencies, or joining the federal personnel reserve.
Officials will also need to report large transactions exceeding their family’s combined income over three years.
Such transactions include purchases of property, shares, or cryptocurrency. Declarations will also be mandatory for officials seeking to run in elections, according to information published on kremlin.ru.
End of publication
Putin also removed the obligation to publish asset declarations online. While public access was suspended in 2022, the measure was initially framed as temporary during the war.
One of the authors of the amendments, Duma security committee head Vasily Piskarev, described annual declarations as “an archaic system.”
He said ending the requirement “will contribute to increasing the effectiveness of the fight against corruption.”
Another United Russia lawmaker, Dmitry Viatkin, said officials were currently forced to report their finances “for the amusement of the public.”
Hidden oversight
Mandatory income declarations for officials were first introduced in 1995. Under the new system, monitoring will be carried out by a classified government database known as “Poseidon.”
The system will collect financial data directly from banks and state institutions.
Access will be limited to the Federal Protective Service and the presidential administration, with security agencies allowed to request information when deemed necessary.
A separate law signed by Putin also allows certain officials to be appointed without standard anti-corruption clearance.
Previously, former officials needed approval from conflict-of-interest commissions before joining organizations they once oversaw.
Curtain drawn
Transparency has narrowed further since July 2022, when access to Russia’s Unified State Register of Real Estate was restricted.
Property data is now available only to owners, their spouses, state bodies, and notaries.
Together, the changes consolidate financial oversight within the Kremlin while removing public visibility into the wealth of those in power.
Sources: Digi24, kremlin.ru.
