Homicides in Russia
Russia: Homicides was 7,302 deaths in 2019. ◆ Volatile
Homicides in Russia, 1980–2019
Source: WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths.
Analysis
The most recent figure for homicides in Russia is 7,302 deaths, measured in 2019. That is the lowest value across all 38 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 8.6% on the previous year and down 65.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, homicides in Russia peaked at 47,870 deaths in 1994 and was at its lowest, 7,302 deaths, in 2019.
Russia ranks 7th of 113 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Homicides in Russia, year by year
| Year | deaths | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 17,838 deaths | — |
| 1981 | 17,944 deaths | +0.6% |
| 1982 | 17,599 deaths | -1.9% |
| 1985 | 14,986 deaths | -14.8% |
| 1986 | 10,648 deaths | -28.9% |
| 1987 | 11,329 deaths | +6.4% |
| 1988 | 14,290 deaths | +26.1% |
| 1989 | 18,527 deaths | +29.7% |
| 1990 | 21,145 deaths | +14.1% |
| 1991 | 22,621 deaths | +7.0% |
| 1992 | 33,912 deaths | +49.9% |
| 1993 | 45,060 deaths | +32.9% |
| 1994 | 47,870 deaths | +6.2% |
| 1995 | 45,257 deaths | -5.5% |
| 1996 | 39,083 deaths | -13.6% |
| 1997 | 34,995 deaths | -10.5% |
| 1998 | 33,553 deaths | -4.1% |
| 1999 | 38,225 deaths | +13.9% |
| 2000 | 41,090 deaths | +7.5% |
| 2001 | 42,921 deaths | +4.5% |
| 2002 | 44,252 deaths | +3.1% |
| 2003 | 41,764 deaths | -5.6% |
| 2004 | 39,256 deaths | -6.0% |
| 2005 | 35,636 deaths | -9.2% |
| 2006 | 28,844 deaths | -19.1% |
| 2007 | 25,377 deaths | -12.0% |
| 2008 | 23,738 deaths | -6.5% |
| 2009 | 21,371 deaths | -10.0% |
| 2010 | 18,951 deaths | -11.3% |
| 2011 | 16,795 deaths | -11.4% |
| 2012 | 15,408 deaths | -8.3% |
| 2013 | 14,427 deaths | -6.4% |
| 2014 | 12,921 deaths | -10.4% |
| 2015 | 11,984 deaths | -7.3% |
| 2016 | 10,569 deaths | -11.8% |
| 2017 | 9,048 deaths | -14.4% |
| 2018 | 7,986 deaths | -11.7% |
| 2019 | 7,302 deaths | -8.6% |
Russia compared with similar countries
- Russia's 7,302 deaths is above the median for high income countries, which is 63 deaths, 115.9× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Russia's 7,302 deaths is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 63.5 deaths, 115.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Homicides 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 | +49.9% | 22,621 deaths | 33,912 deaths |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 15,395 deaths | 10,648 deaths | 18,527 deaths | 8 |
| 1990s | 36,172 deaths | 21,145 deaths | 47,870 deaths | 10 |
| 2000s | 34,425 deaths | 21,371 deaths | 44,252 deaths | 10 |
| 2010s | 12,539 deaths | 7,302 deaths | 18,951 deaths | 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 homicides in Russia?
- Homicides in Russia was 7,302 deaths in 2019, according to WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest homicides recorded in Russia?
- The highest recorded value was 47,870 deaths in 1994.
- What is the lowest homicides recorded in Russia?
- The lowest recorded value was 7,302 deaths in 2019.
- How does Russia rank for homicides?
- Russia ranks 7th out of 113 countries with data for 2019.
- Is homicides rising or falling in Russia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 65.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- 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 Homicides. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 38 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Annual number of homicides.