“As the Kremlin continues its war, it redoubled efforts to eradicate the mere possibility of public criticism of its foreign and domestic policies,” said Rachel Denber, deputy Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “At the same time, they are spewing homophobic and xenophobic tropes in an apparent attempt to distract public attention from the accumulating domestic social and economic challenges.”

Throughout 2023, Russian authorities also intensified their crackdown LGBT people. They adopted a law targeting trans people that, among other things, prohibits transition-related health care and bars trans people from adopting or taking guardianship over children.