State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin announced that in December Russia would ban foreigners from using surrogate mothers because of the risk that children would become “victims of crime” or “form same-sex couples”.

The head of the chamber pointed out that child trafficking is “unacceptable” and that an estimated 45,000 children born by surrogacy and to a Russian biological mother have been “exported” abroad in recent years.

“This is a large illegal business, the turnover of which is estimated at more than 2 billion euros. Such children often find themselves in the most difficult situations: they become victims of crimes, including the sale of organs, form same-sex couples“He wrote this Sunday on his Telegram channel.

“Everything possible must be done to protect children by banning foreigners from using surrogacy services,” he said, before committing to implement the decision in the national parliament next month.