A billboard advertising the Russian army.Image: EPA
April 15, 2026, 1:40 p.mApril 15, 2026, 1:40 p.m
There is an HIV epidemic in Russia, says Alexei Lachow, a long-time consultant for HIV programs in Russia SRF. Almost one percent of the Russian population is living with the virus. In the war against Ukraine, the number of HIV-positive soldiers increased 40-fold within a year, Russian doctors wrote in a military medical journal.
With 50,000 new infections in 2024 and over a million infected people, Russia has the worst HIV numbers, writes the SRF. With the heroin crisis in the 90s, the virus spread in Russia. Drug addicts were more likely to end up in prison than to be caught by the health system. According to SRF, around a third of all prisoners are in prison for drug possession.
HIV-infected people in the Russian army
According to SRF, HIV-positive men have been drafted into the Russian army due to recruitment from prisons and the high pay for soldiers. This is because those affected hide their infection or do not know anything about their status, explains Alexei Lachow to SRF. Since Russia needs soldiers, people don’t look too closely, even though people infected with HIV are considered unfit.
According to Lachow, the increase in the number of infections is due to various transmission risks. The reuse of syringes, scalpels or catheters, but also drug use and unprotected sex caused the numbers to rise.
These assumptions are supported in reports by independent Russian media, writes SRF. According to field doctors, hygiene regulations are difficult to adhere to in hectic combat situations. According to research, prostitution is also widespread in occupied Ukrainian territories.
Health system at its limit
Lachow fears that when the war ends and the soldiers return, there will be a heavy burden on the Russian health system, writes the SRF. This is true even if the numbers are lower.
Although the budget for HIV medication and tests has been increased by the Russian state, the healthcare system is already reaching its limits, Lachow tells SRF. While the budget has increased, many HIV prevention charities are under pressure. Many NGOs have already left Russia after being classified as “foreign agents,” including the Elton John AIDS Foundation. (Nile)