The Judicial Department at the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation has decided to classify official data on the number of lawsuits concerning the recognition of citizens as dead or missing. Strict confidentiality has also been applied to key statistical indicators on political cases and crimes committed by law enforcement officials.
Large-Scale Concealment of 2025 Judicial Statistics
As reported by independent media investigations referencing the official Judicial Department report published on October 2, 2026, a significant portion of key lines in the 2025 crime reports were simply colored gray. This classified block includes information on court consideration of lawsuits recognizing individuals as dead or missing. Notably, just a year earlier, Russian courts handled a record 17.5 thousand such lawsuits, and by the end of 2025, regional courts began mass removal of such case information from their official websites.
Elimination of Sections on High Treason and Law Enforcement Crimes
In addition to missing persons lawsuits, an entire specialized section reflecting crimes against the foundations of the constitutional order and state security completely disappeared from current judicial reports. The public is now deprived of objective figures regarding those convicted of high treason, disclosure of state secrets, sabotage, creation of extremist communities, and so-called defamation of the Russian army. Meanwhile, data on administrative and criminal penalties for army 'fakes' was partially retained: 90 people were convicted under this article in 2025. Similarly, data on crimes committed by law enforcement officers themselves—military personnel, police officers, judges, prosecutors, and prison workers—was also concealed.
Context of Mobilization Processes and Leadership Statements
Experts note that this unprecedented classification of statistical data coincided with an active phase of large-scale military recruitment. On October 1, the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces officially announced the start of the autumn conscription, aiming to draft about 120,000 citizens into mandatory military service. Against this backdrop, Ukrainian and international leadership point to the covert nature of additional mobilization measures. In particular, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasizes that Moscow is increasing its army personnel through various clandestine methods and actively involving foreign mercenaries, including contingents from North Korea.
