Homicide rate in Russia
Russia: Homicide rate was 4.98 deaths per 100,000 people in 2019. ▼ Falling
Homicide rate in Russia, 1980–2019
Source: WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100,000 people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for homicide rate in Russia is 4.98 deaths per 100,000 people, measured in 2019. That is the lowest value across all 38 years on record.
The figure is down 9.2% on the previous year and down 67.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, homicide rate in Russia peaked at 32.59 deaths per 100,000 people in 1994 and was at its lowest, 4.98 deaths per 100,000 people, in 2019.
That places Russia 27th out of 111 countries with data for 2019, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 38 years of available data.
Homicide rate in Russia, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 12.88 deaths per 100,000 people | — |
| 1981 | 12.89 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.1% |
| 1982 | 12.56 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.5% |
| 1985 | 10.48 deaths per 100,000 people | -16.6% |
| 1986 | 7.39 deaths per 100,000 people | -29.5% |
| 1987 | 7.79 deaths per 100,000 people | +5.5% |
| 1988 | 9.75 deaths per 100,000 people | +25.2% |
| 1989 | 12.58 deaths per 100,000 people | +28.9% |
| 1990 | 14.3 deaths per 100,000 people | +13.7% |
| 1991 | 15.26 deaths per 100,000 people | +6.7% |
| 1992 | 22.87 deaths per 100,000 people | +49.8% |
| 1993 | 30.69 deaths per 100,000 people | +34.2% |
| 1994 | 32.59 deaths per 100,000 people | +6.2% |
| 1995 | 30.81 deaths per 100,000 people | -5.5% |
| 1996 | 26.67 deaths per 100,000 people | -13.4% |
| 1997 | 23.95 deaths per 100,000 people | -10.2% |
| 1998 | 23.02 deaths per 100,000 people | -3.9% |
| 1999 | 26.33 deaths per 100,000 people | +14.4% |
| 2000 | 28.44 deaths per 100,000 people | +8.0% |
| 2001 | 29.85 deaths per 100,000 people | +5.0% |
| 2002 | 30.97 deaths per 100,000 people | +3.7% |
| 2003 | 29.11 deaths per 100,000 people | -6.0% |
| 2004 | 27.3 deaths per 100,000 people | -6.2% |
| 2005 | 24.9 deaths per 100,000 people | -8.8% |
| 2006 | 20.24 deaths per 100,000 people | -18.7% |
| 2007 | 17.86 deaths per 100,000 people | -11.8% |
| 2008 | 16.72 deaths per 100,000 people | -6.4% |
| 2009 | 15.06 deaths per 100,000 people | -9.9% |
| 2010 | 13.27 deaths per 100,000 people | -11.9% |
| 2011 | 11.75 deaths per 100,000 people | -11.4% |
| 2012 | 10.76 deaths per 100,000 people | -8.4% |
| 2013 | 10.05 deaths per 100,000 people | -6.6% |
| 2014 | 9 deaths per 100,000 people | -10.4% |
| 2015 | 8.19 deaths per 100,000 people | -9.1% |
| 2016 | 7.28 deaths per 100,000 people | -11.1% |
| 2017 | 6.22 deaths per 100,000 people | -14.5% |
| 2018 | 5.48 deaths per 100,000 people | -11.9% |
| 2019 | 4.98 deaths per 100,000 people | -9.2% |
Russia compared with similar countries
- Russia's 4.98 deaths per 100,000 people is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.7971 deaths per 100,000 people, 6.2× the median. (57 countries reporting)
- Russia's 4.98 deaths per 100,000 people is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.8117 deaths per 100,000 people, 6.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Homicide rate in Russia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | +49.8% | 15.26 deaths per 100,000 people | 22.87 deaths per 100,000 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 10.79 deaths per 100,000 people | 7.39 deaths per 100,000 people | 12.89 deaths per 100,000 people | 8 |
| 1990s | 24.65 deaths per 100,000 people | 14.3 deaths per 100,000 people | 32.59 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 24.04 deaths per 100,000 people | 15.06 deaths per 100,000 people | 30.97 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.7 deaths per 100,000 people | 4.98 deaths per 100,000 people | 13.27 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
Countries ranked near Russia
More social development data for Russia
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 11,811 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 99,360 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 7 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 7 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0007 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 99,360 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0001 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is homicide rate in Russia?
- Homicide rate in Russia was 4.98 deaths per 100,000 people in 2019, according to WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest homicide rate recorded in Russia?
- The highest recorded value was 32.59 deaths per 100,000 people in 1994.
- What is the lowest homicide rate recorded in Russia?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.98 deaths per 100,000 people in 2019.
- How does Russia rank for homicide rate?
- Russia ranks 27th out of 111 countries with data for 2019.
- Is homicide rate rising or falling in Russia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 67.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Russia data come from?
- The figures come from WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Homicide rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Annual number of homicides per 100,000 people.