Camilla Jessen
Record surge in sexual violence cases reported in Russia’s Belgorod region.
Russia’s Belgorod region recorded a sharp increase in reported rape cases in 2025, with figures reaching their highest level in at least 17 years.
Data from the To Be Precise project show that police registered 199 rape cases in the border region last year, three times more than in 2024 and more than in any other Russian region.
The independent outlet Verstka, cited by Meduza, reported that this is the highest annual total recorded in Belgorod since at least 2008.
Spike after invasion
Interior Ministry data indicate that reported rape cases in Belgorod rose significantly in 2022 and 2023, declined in 2024, and then surged again in 2025.
Verstka suggested the increase may be linked to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which has brought a heightened military presence to the region bordering Ukraine.
Human rights lawyer Mari Davtyan told Verstka that the rise was clearly tied to “external circumstances,” but cautioned that available data do not allow firm conclusions.
“We can only speculate that this increase is partly due to the increase in the number of men in the area,” Davtyan said. “A large number of military personnel are currently stationed there. Numerous studies show that levels of violence are higher among military personnel.”
However, To Be Precise noted that similar trends have not been observed in other Russian border regions. “Based on public data, it is impossible to confirm or refute the claim that this increase is related to the war,” the project wrote.
Few cases reach court
The researchers also highlighted that in 2024, only nine out of 65 registered rape cases in Belgorod — around 14% — reached court. The remaining cases were suspended, dropped, or had not progressed to trial. No public explanation has been provided.
They added that in some instances, charges in sexual violence cases may be reduced to lesser offences, such as “obscene acts.”
According to the latest publicly available data from Russia’s Prosecutor General’s Office, 82% of rape cases in Belgorod in 2022 involved minors, compared with 57% nationwide.
Child cases rising
Crimes involving sexual violence against children have been increasing in Belgorod since 2021.
Sociologist Ekaterina Khodzhaeva suggested that part of the rise could reflect changes in law enforcement practices, including a lower standard of proof and cases initiated based on online communication with minors.
“Starting from 2011-2013, the Investigative Committee’s approach to sexual violence against minors was fueled by the personal interest of the agency’s leadership and effectively turned into a tick-box indicator,” Khodzhaeva said.
The regional Legal Institute, affiliated with the Interior Ministry, attributed the increase to “multiple-episode crimes,” such as long-term abuse within families. In 2023, 66% of sexual violence crimes against minors in Belgorod were committed by family members, compared with 42% in 2022.
Since 2023, detailed statistics from the Attorney General’s Office have been closed to the public, limiting independent assessment of whether the pattern continued in 2025.
Sources: To Be Precise, Verstka, Meduza, Russia Interior Ministry data
