Ukraine is moving to decriminalise pornography as lawmakers seek additional tax revenue to help bridge a $27 billion defence funding gap amid the country’s war with Russia….
Ukraine is moving to decriminalise pornography as lawmakers seek additional tax revenue to help bridge a $27 billion defence funding gap amid the country’s war with Russia.
The proposed legislation is expected to generate about $25 million in tax revenue, with lawmaker and bill co-author Yaroslav Zhelezniak saying the money could fund about 30,000 military drones.
The bill, which seeks to bring Ukraine’s largely underground adult-content industry into the formal economy, passed its first reading in parliament by 231 votes to eight, with three abstentions. It is awaiting a second reading.
Zhelezniak argued during the first reading that the current system leaves significant earnings in the shadow economy rather than contributing to the state.
“I believe we are already mature enough as a nation to acknowledge that sex exists,” he said.
The move follows the discovery by Ukrainian tax authorities that nearly 8,000 Ukrainian OnlyFans creators earned more than $131 million in 2023, according to The Washington Post.
Supporters say decriminalisation could allow content creators to operate openly, pay taxes and gain greater legal protection, while reducing opportunities for police extortion and corruption.
But the proposal has also attracted opposition.
Critics, including former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, have raised concerns about child abuse, human trafficking and the potential social consequences of legalising the industry.
The All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organisations has also called for the bill to be withdrawn, arguing that it could harm Ukrainian society.
The proposed reform comes as Ukraine faces mounting pressure to finance its war effort.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday that Kyiv urgently needs to close the $27 billion military funding gap, warning that failure to secure funds could lead to shortages of drones and missiles early next year.
While the projected $25 million in tax revenue would cover only a small portion of the funding gap, lawmakers see the adult-content industry as one potential source of additional domestic revenue.
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