The Heavy-Drinking Far North: Alcohol Consumption Doubled in Some Russian Regions
Calculations showed that the highest alcohol consumption is in the Far North,Siberia and the Russian Far East. These are economically underdeveloped regions, populated mainly by indigenous peoples.
In two regions, the annual consumption of pure alcohol per adult doubled.
In the Nenets Autonomous Okrug (Region), annual consumption rose from 16 liters of pure alcohol per adult in 2019 to 35 liters in 2024. Chukotka - from 14 to 29 liters.
Consumption in the Jewish Autonomous Region climbed from 19 to 25 liters.
An analysis by the publication To be precise calculated consumption based on the official data on mortality, alcohol addiction, as well as police reports.
Statistics for 2023 - after that Federal State Statistics Service Rosstat excluded data on the number of deaths and external causes of mortality from the annual demographic report.
In this way, the Russian authorities suffer losses due to the war against Ukraine.
Nearly 40 Northern indigenous populations are especially vulnerable. These populations have limited access to healthcare.
In addition, they suffer from the destruction of their traditional way of life.
In Chukotka, the problem is compounded by weak legal retail infrastructure. Underdeveloped logistics have allowed illegal sales and counterfeiting of alcohol.
Among the ten regions with the highest alcohol consumption, only two did not experience population decline between 2010 and 2024. Others recorded the steepest declines, each losing more than 15 per cent of their population. On average, all of these regions experienced net population losses driven by migration.
Where in Russia Do People Drink Less?
Regions with growing populations tend to have lower alcohol consumption. One possible explanation is that expanding regions attract more migrants, and greater professional and social mobility is generally linked to healthier lifestyles and better access to healthcare.
The lowest alcohol consumption is in the North Caucasus - Ingushetia, Chechnya, North Ossetia, and Dagestan—up to two liters of pure alcohol per person per year.
Islamic traditions, cultural norms and strong community oversight discourage drinking.
Consumption is also relatively low in Moscow and St. Petersburg, where higher incomes and better access to healthcare are believed to contribute to healthier lifestyles.
Analysts note that strong alcohol dominates in all Russian regions, regardless of consumption volumes.
Official Information on Alcoholism and Alcoholic Psychosis in Russia
In 2025, the number of Russians diagnosed with alcoholism or alcoholic psychosis for the first time reached 56.9 people per 100,000 residents, according to data from the Russian Ministry of Health.
This figure has already increased by 30% compared to the previous year—the sharpest increase in recorded history.
This is also the highest figure since 2016.
The number of people diagnosed with alcoholism increased in 69 out of 82 regions
In Omsk Region, it increased fivefold, and in Astrakhan, it increased fourfold.
In Perm Region, the rate increased three and a half times, reaching 288 people per 100,000 residents—a record high for the entire period of observation in the region and second among all regions of the Russian Federation.
As in previous years, the Chukotka Autonomous region leads the way in alcoholism, with 391.4 diagnosed cases per 100,000 residents.
Bans Don't Help
Due to the record growth in alcohol addiction, authorities in Russian regions are introducing restrictions on the sale of alcohol. These include increasing excise taxes, reducing the hours of alcohol sales, and banning retail sales in cafes located in residential buildings.
The Vologda region introduced some of Russia’s strictest sales restrictions—allowing weekday alcohol sales only between noon and 2 p.m. But overall consumption has remained largely unchanged. Over the past five years, annual consumption has edged up only marginally, from 13.5 to 13.7 litres of pure alcohol per person.
The blanket restrictions on alcohol sales potentially increase alcohol-related deaths as people with alcohol dependency turn to illicit or surrogate alcohol.
This primarily concerns people with low incomes.
Sources: Istories.Media, Tochno.st, RBC