One in One Hundred Russian Adults Now Living with HIV

The number of people living with HIV in Russia has risen to 1.25 million, according to Vadim Pokrovsky, head of the Federal Scientific and Methodological Center for AIDS Prevention and Control. He noted at a press conference that at the end of 2024, the figure stood at 1.215 million.

Adult Men Remain the Most Affected Group

Pokrovsky explained that the number reflects individuals with confirmed HIV antibodies, the key indicator of infection. Among adults aged 15 to 50, the prevalence rate exceeds 1 percent, meaning one in every hundred Russians lives with HIV. The most affected demographic is men aged 40–45, among whom 4 percent are infected; for women in the same age group, the rate reaches up to 3 percent.

He also pointed out that not all HIV-positive individuals register with the healthcare system. According to the Ministry of Health, only about 900,000 patients are officially recorded.

Sexual Transmission Drives Most New Cases

Sexual contact remains the primary mode of HIV transmission, accounting for up to 75 percent of new infections. Pokrovsky argued that stronger prevention measures are needed, including improved sexual education for children. He emphasized that proper public education remains the most important tool to prevent new infections.

He added that globally, HIV has been diagnosed in 40 million people, and an estimated 1.4 million new infections are expected by year’s end. Despite international efforts, he stressed, the global number of infections continues to rise.

Health Ministry Reports Improvements in Testing and Early Detection

The Health Ministry’s chief external specialist on HIV, Aleksei Mazus, noted that Russia continues to see a yearly decline in newly registered HIV cases thanks to expanded testing. In 2024, the number of new cases reached just under 48,500 excluding newly incorporated regions, an 11 percent drop compared with the previous year.

Deputy Health Minister Andrei Plutnitsky reported that HIV testing coverage increased by 37.2 percent in 2024, amounting to more than 54 million screenings. More than two-thirds of HIV cases nationwide are now identified at an early stage, he said.