Ukraine Russia War / Ukraine Considers Legalising P*rnography to Fund War; Bill Could Generate $25 Million for Drones

Kyiv, Sep 7: Ukraine’s Parliament is considering a bill to legalise p*rnography and bring the country’s adult entertainment industry into the formal tax system, with lawmakers estimating that the move could generate up to $25 million in revenue for the war against Russia, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The bill, backed by lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak, chairman of Parliament’s finance committee, has already cleared its first reading in July and is awaiting a second reading.

Zhelezniak estimates the proposed tax revenue could be enough to fund about 30,000 drones for Ukraine’s front lines.

Creators Caught Between Tax And Criminal Laws
Producing, possessing or distributing p*rnography is currently illegal in Ukraine and can carry a prison sentence of up to seven years. Despite the law, the adult content industry has continued to expand, with The Wall Street Journal reporting alleged involvement of corrupt police officials.

Ukrainian tax authorities have increasingly sought taxes from adult content creators in recent years. However, creators who declare their earnings can risk drawing attention to activities that remain criminal under existing p*rnography laws.

“These women either don't pay taxes and face criminal charges for that, or they pay taxes and get charged with violating p*rnography laws,” Zhelezniak told the Journal, describing the situation as “tragicomic”.

Police Raids And Bribery Allegations
The Journal reported that Ukraine’s General Prosecutor’s Office recently uncovered cases in three regions in which officials allegedly received bribes of up to $20,000 in connection with the adult content industry.

OnlyFans creator Svitlana Dvornikova told the Journal that police raided her home while she was preparing her daughter for school. Officers allegedly seized $20,000 in cash, along with her laptop and hard drives.

“They had a list of webcam models, and knew all their addresses,” Dvornikova said.

She alleged that officers offered her an opportunity to pay a bribe to make the case disappear, but she refused.

Another woman told the Journal that police searched her apartment in a similar manner. She later avoided a court appearance, saying she feared being pressured to pay a bribe.

The uncertainty has prompted some creators, including Dvornikova, to leave Ukraine or temporarily relocate elsewhere in Europe.

Also Read: Growth over Child Safety! Ex-Meta Engineer Exposes Instagram’s Neglect

Adult Content Industry Generates Millions
Figures cited by The Wall Street Journal from Fenix International, the parent company of OnlyFans, showed that 7,900 Ukrainians earned more than $131 million through the platform in 2023.

Tax lawyer Lesia Mykhalenko, who has represented more than 100 OnlyFans creators, told the Journal that prosecuting adult content creators was an inefficient use of government resources during wartime.

“This is a victimless crime,” she said. “It unnecessarily burdens the legal system at a time when we should be focused on defending the country.”

Petition Reaches Zelensky
After a criminal case was opened against her, Dvornikova filed a petition that was later published on President Volodymyr Zelensky’s website.

Describing herself as a “conscientious taxpayer”, she argued that the government should not treat her as a criminal after she had paid nearly $900,000 in taxes. She said the amount was equivalent to “hundreds of Russians killed on the front line”.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the petition collected more than 25,000 signatures within a week.

Zelensky subsequently said Parliament would consider Zhelezniak’s proposal to legalise pornography.