Slavery in Russia

While slavery has not been widespread on the territory of what is now Russia since the introduction of Christianity in the tenth century, serfdom in Russia, which was in many ways similar to contemporary slavery around the world, only ended in February 19th, 1861 when Russian Emperor Alexander II issued The Emancipation of the serfs in 1861. Emancipation of state-owned serfs occurred in 1866.[1]

The Russian term krepostnoi krestyanin (крепостной крестьянин) is usually translated as "serf": an unfree person who, unlike a slave, can only be sold with the land they are "attached" to.

The 2023 Global Slavery Index estimates 1,899,000 people currently living in slavery-like conditions in Russia. This includes forced labor, forced prostitution, debt bondage, forced servile marriage, exploitation of children, and forced prison labor.[2]

  1. ^ Mee, Arthur; Hammerton, J.A.; Innes, Arthur D.; Harmsworth History of the World: Volume 7, 1907, Carmelite House, London; p. 5193.
  2. ^ Walk Free Foundation. "The Global Slavery Index 2023" (PDF).