Disabled people in Russia

Rehabilitation of disabled people in Russia

Main article: Medical rehabilitation in Russia

Federal Register of Persons with Disabilities

Main article: Federal Register of Persons with Disabilities

2025: The number of disabled people in Russia decreased by 6% to 11.4 million people

The number of people with disabilities in Russia as of June 1, 2025 amounted to 11.4 million people, which is 6% less than in 2018. Of the total number of disabled people, 784 thousand are children, and about 90% of adult disabled people have an indefinite disability group. This was announced by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova at a meeting of the Presidential Commission on Disabled People on July 29, 2025.

According to TASS, among the causes of disability in adults in the first place are diseases of the circulatory system. This is followed by malignant neoplasms, mental and behavioral disorders, as well as diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue.

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Фото: Freepik

In children, the structure of the causes of disability is different from adults. Mental and behavioral disorders, diseases of the nervous system, congenital abnormalities and diseases of the endocrine system are leading.

Golikova stressed the need to take into account the structure of disability when making decisions in the health care system. This concerns the preparation of medical personnel, the formation of priority preventive areas and the organization of medical examination of the population.

At the meeting of the commission, issues of employment of people with disabilities were discussed. Of the total number of Russian citizens with disabilities, 39% are of working age, which is almost 4.5 million people.

The main employment of people with disabilities is formed in the field of education, health care and manufacturing. These industries provide the largest number of jobs for citizens with disabilities.

Special attention is paid to the employment of participants in a special military operation. At the time of the meeting, over 48 thousand returning SVO veterans received employment in various spheres of the economy.^[1]

2024: The number of disabled people in Russia for the year increased to 11.1 million people

The number of disabled people in Russia as of the end of 2024 amounted to 11.122 million people. This is 82 thousand people more than in 2023, when the indicator was at the level of 11.04 million people. The data was published by Rosstat, they were noticed by the Medvestnik edition on December 5, 2025.

The total number of disabled people increased by 190 thousand people over two years. In 2022, the figure was 10.932 million people. The increase in the number of disabled people is observed against the background of the closure of statistics - Rosstat did not update many data for 2024 on the number of citizens who received disability for the first time, the reasons for its receipt and the provision of rehabilitation means.

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Фото: Freepik

From 2011 to 2023, the total number of citizens with disabilities decreased by 17%, and a reduction was observed annually. The Demoscope portal notes that the situation has changed over the past two years. In 2023, an increase of 1% was recorded, in 2024 - by 0.7%.

The number of people who first received disabled status in 2022 increased by 5.4% and amounted to 565 thousand people. In 2023, the increase was 28%, the number reached 726 thousand people. In terms of 10 thousand adults, this figure corresponds to the level of the early 1990s.

Rosstat in 2025 updated only the following indicators:

• total number of disabled persons by disability group;
• distribution of persons with disabilities by sex and age;
• total number of disabled persons by disability group by subjects of Russia;
• the number of persons with disabilities receiving social assistance;
• data on employment of persons with disabilities;
• level of independence and self-assessment of health;
• partially the reasons for citizens with disabilities to seek medical care.

Since 2024, statistics on the provision and need for means of care and medical rehabilitation have not been updated. According to the latest available data, in 2023 45.5% of the surveyed disabled people were fully provided with rehabilitation facilities. For comparison: in 2015, this figure was 34.4%. There is no information about the causes of disability and the number of those who received it for the first time.^[2]

2022: There are 565 thousand disabled people in Russia - Rosstat

In 2022, in Russia, the number of first recognized as disabled decreased by 37% compared to 2010 and amounted to 565 thousand people. At the same time, there are more people with group I disability every year. This was announced on September 25, 2023 by the Medvestnik edition.

At the beginning of 2023, the number of disabled people in Russia reached 11 million people, more than 6 million of whom are women. About 722 thousand disabled people, according to Rosstat, are children.

In 2022, 565 thousand adults throughout the country (48.6 people) were recognized as disabled for the first time. for every 10 thousand population). Over the year, this figure decreased by 37% compared to 2010 - 12 years ago, 893 thousand people received disability for the first time. At the same time, the share of disabled people of group I during this time significantly increased, the share of group II decreased, and the share of group III almost did not change. The minimum number of people recognized as disabled was recorded in 2021 (536 thousand people), which peaked at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The number of disabled people of group I increased over 12 years from 15.3 to 21.9% in the total volume of all groups. The share of group II in 2022 was 36.9% (in 2010 - 43.9%), group III - 41% (since 2010 the share has hardly changed).

The maximum number of disabled people in January 2023 was in the population over working age. Such data was provided by the Pension and Social Insurance Fund.

The most common category of disease that recognizes people as disabled is malignant neoplasm. Also common causes of disability are diseases of the circulatory system, diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue, mental and behavioral disorders, and diseases of the nervous system. There are categories in which there is a decrease in the number of disabled people - tuberculosis, the consequences of occupational injuries and occupational diseases.^[3]

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