PVLF 2026

Russian Police Raid Major Publisher Over Alleged ‘Gay Propaganda’

Russian police raid Eksmo over alleged LGBTQ “propaganda,” seizing books and questioning executives. Explore what this means for publishing, censorship, and free expression in Russia.
on Apr 22, 2026

This raid comes amid Russia’s increasing strictness regarding societal matters, as police conducted a search at Eksmo, the biggest publisher in the nation, due to claims of distributing materials considered “homosexual propaganda.”

According to reports from local news agencies, the raid occurred on Tuesday, during which law enforcement officers confiscated thousands of books. The chief executive officer of the company, Yevgeny Kapiev, was also summoned for interrogation.

Interrogation of Senior Executives

It is believed that this raid is related to an ongoing case of extremism involving the distribution of books containing LGBTQ content. According to Yekaterina Kozhanova, the head of communications at the organization, other senior executives were also questioned, including the financial director, distributor, and vice-commercial director.

Russia’s authorities believe that Eksmo was implicitly advertising books containing LGBTQ content targeting young individuals. It is said that these publications are distributed by its subsidiary, Popcorn Books, which has been under intense scrutiny since last year.

Strengthening Laws Governing LGBTQ Material

There has been an established ban on material that promotes same-sex sexual activities in Russia for more than ten years. Nevertheless, recent changes in the laws have made such laws even stronger. Besides, publishers are mandated to delete any materials that promote homosexual behaviors and, in some situations, to burn the entire print of the publications.

This new development comes as one of the measures that have been taken by the Russian authorities as a way of protecting “traditional values.”

Literary and Cultural Implications

These policies do not affect modern books alone. They have implications for literary and cultural classics too. For example, some of the material attributed to famous literary icons such as Mikhail Bulgakov and Vladimir Vysotsky has reportedly been labeled because of inappropriate content in the writings.

Change in Context After the Ukraine War

It is noted that the conservative movement in Russia became more pronounced after the start of its war against Ukraine back in February 2022. Specifically, in 2023, the Supreme Court of Russia declared LGBTQ activism as "extreme," which banned all sorts of events and organizations.

Those who use LGBTQ symbols such as rainbow colors in their clothing have been facing fines and sometimes even prison sentences.

LGBTQ Rights Internationally

As far as LGBTQ rights internationally, Russia ranks low in the European spectrum of countries with regard to LGBTQ equality and acceptance, according to Rainbow Europe.