The database reportedly targets individuals linked to the so-called “international LGBT movement,” which Russia officially classified as “extremist” in 2023. This designation has already led to arrests and increased restrictions on LGBTQ+ people and organisations.

Recent months have seen harsher measures under Russia’s anti-propaganda laws. Bar staff and venue owners have been jailed, LGBTQ+ club-goers detained, and businesses forced to remove inclusive content. Duolingo erased LGBTQ+-friendly lessons, and My Little Pony was reclassified as 18+. In December, a man accused of running an LGBTQ+ travel agency was found dead in his cell.

United Russia party member Dmitry Chukreev confirmed that police have kept records of LGBTQ+ individuals since the Supreme Court ruling took effect. Officials are also considering a public registry for sex workers, which a source claimed would allow people to “check a friend or fiancée.”

Despite these plans, resource constraints may hinder their full implementation. Meduza reports that Russia’s war in Ukraine has strained finances and personnel, complicating efforts to establish and maintain such databases.

Authorities have escalated surveillance of LGBTQ+ spaces. One venue reported security forces copied its reservations database, while others described police forcibly collecting fingerprints, mouth swabs, and demanding attendees disclose home addresses on camera.

Russian officials have framed these actions as a national security measure, portraying LGBTQ+ people as an organised threat. Government rhetoric has described them as “paramilitary groups” allegedly inciting a “gender war” and engaging in “dehumanisation” and “devil worship.”

This latest development signals a further tightening of state control over LGBTQ+ people, as authorities continue their assault on civil liberties under the guise of national security.