Russian region plans sperm bank to collect semen from childless men leaving to fight in Ukraine

A region of Russia plans to create a sperm bank to collect semen from childless men who leave to fight in Ukraine. On Thursday, Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug Human Rights Commissioner Natalia Strebkova told local journalists that her office seeks to store “not only DNA but also sperm” from men without children who are called up to serve in Ukraine. “I believe this is very important for ensuring the serviceman’s future generations,” said Strebkova, who recently presented the initiative to the region’s parliament.

In December 2022, Russia’s Health Ministry said it would explore the possibility of subsidizing the costs of storing the sperm of men mobilized to fight in Ukraine, but the federal agency never returned to the subject. Meanwhile, several regional governments have started offering the service to departing soldiers for free through local private clinics.