Homosexuality between men became legal in Russia on May 27th, 1993. Homosexuality was never explicitly criminalized between women.

In 1934, the Soviet government under Stalin recriminalized sex between men. On March 7th, 1934, Article 121 was added to the criminal code for the entire Soviet Union. This article prohibited male homosexuality, punishable by imprisonment of between 3 to 5 years. There were no criminal statutes regarding sex between women.

Homosexuality in Russia was decriminalized in 1917.

Although proposed in a draft penal code of 1754, sodomy was not criminalized until the 1835 penal code.

Before the 1835 penal code, homosexuality was not criminalized.

Before 1995, Russia neither banned nor recognized same-sex marriage or civil unions.

In 2013, Russia introduced a law known as "for the Purpose of Protecting Children from Information Advocating for a Denial of Traditional Family Values" (also known as the "gay propaganda law") which bans the dissemination of “propaganda for nontraditional sexual relationships,” broadly understood to be lesbian, gay, and bisexual relationships, among under-18s. According to the Russian government, this law is aimed to "protect" children from being exposed to homosexuality, since it goes against "traditional family values."

People found guilty of breaking the law face fines of between 4,000 and 5,000 rubles; government officials face fines of 40,000 to 50,000 rubles; and organizations, up to 1 million rubles or a suspension of activity for up to 90 days. Heavier fines may be imposed for the same actions if the act was carried out using mass media and telecommunications, including the Internet. Foreigners can be arrested and detained for up to 15 days (or fined up to 5,000 rubles) and then deported.

In December 2022, Russia expanded the law to cover all ages, instead of only minors, effectively making any display or mention of LGBT relationships and lifestyles on public platforms illegal. The penalties were also increased, with individuals now facing fines of up to 400,000 rubles; and organizations, up to 5 million rubles. The dissemination of materials promoting gender dysphoria among minors was also banned.

Before the federal ban, ten regions of Russia enacted laws prohibiting the "propaganda" of homosexuality to minors since 2006, starting with Ryazan. Bans were also reported in Bashkortostan, Krasnodar, Arkhangelsk, Kostroma, Magadan, Novosibirsk, Samara, Kaliningrad and St. Petersurg.

The bans are widely believed to have been a response to attempts to hold the country's first pride parade in Moscow on May 27th, 2006, which featured violence against pride paradors by both homophobic demonstrators and the police.

Until 2006, there was no known censorship of LGBTIQ+ topics in Russia. However, there were repeated calls to recriminalise homosexuality after the 1993 decriminalisation.

In 1997, transgender individuals were granted the ability to change their gender on identification documents after providing a certificate from a health institution confirming the required diagnosis and surgical procedures.

Until 1997, it was not possible to change your legal gender in Russia.

Until 2023, gender-affirming healthcare was legal for adults in Russia. While minors had more difficulty, Russians between the ages of 15 and 18 could give informed consent but surgery was not provided.

In 1983, transsexualism began to be professionally diagnosed in the Soviet Union, which allowed the prescription of hormone therapy

In 1926, the Soviet Union's Ministry of Internal Affairs legalized sex reassignment surgery

Adoption is being regulated by the Civil Procedure Code of Russia (Chapter 29); Family Code of Russia (Chapter 19); Federal Law On Acts of Civil Status (Chapter V). None of these documents contain any direct restriction or ban for homosexual people to adopt.

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law on Wednesday banning the adoption of children by same-sex couples, as part of an increasingly conservative agenda the Kremlin is pursuing since his return to power.

On September 14th, 2001, the Russian Ministry of Health announced that men who have sex with men would be considered part of high risk groups along with prostitutes and drug addicts and be banned from donating blood.

Until a few years after decriminalisation, an unequal age of consent remained.

Until 1993, homosexuality was illegal in Russia nationwide.