Moscow residents discouraged from divorce when filing at city service centers

Moscow’s multifunctional government service centers have begun offering mediation services to married couples seeking divorce, Vedomosti reported.

The program aims to help reconcile spouses considering ending their marriage. Couples can meet with a mediator within a month of submitting their divorce application, and the service is free for Moscow residents.

Government service centers in Russia can process divorces for couples who have no minor children and mutually agree to separate. All other cases must go through the courts.

Data from Russia's Federal Statistics Service (Rosstat) shows that 360,000 marriages and 318,000 divorces were registered in Russia during the first half of 2024. According to VTsIOM, a state-owned polling agency, Russia ranks third in the world for divorce rates.

In September 2024, a bill was introduced in the State Duma requiring Russian courts to take steps to reconcile spouses seeking divorce by referring them to family counseling. The bill’s explanatory note described the measure as being “developed to help spouses preserve marital and family relationships” and aimed at strengthening the institution of marriage while reducing divorce rates among families with children.