Ethnic sex workers spoke about their lives and the work of brothels in Moscow

Not only men with families but also single women who sell their sex services are traveling to Russia from Central Asia to earn money. Against the backdrop of a large-scale police raid on brothels in southeastern Moscow, Izvestiya's correspondent talked to sex workers about their lives, everyday life, and the economics of low-price brothels.

But despite all the risks and police raids, sex workers still choose their lifestyle over low-skilled labor.

"At home, I get an end from my father, my brothers," says a Central Asian girl providing sex services in the capital's Kuzminki neighborhood, and shows a characteristic gesture with her palm near her neck.

Another sex worker told reporters that she is 30 years old, has been working in Moscow for two years, and has a three-year-old son in her homeland, who is being raised by his grandmother. She has been divorced for several years, does not receive alimony and supports her family on her own. And the marriage was not for love - the groom was chosen by her parents.

In her home country she worked as a nanny. In terms of Russian rubles, she was paid about 20,000 a month. Amina learned about the possibility of earning money through sex services from an acquaintance. She came to Russia legally: she obtained a patent, for which, according to her, she pays 9,000 rubles a month, and began renting an apartment with a friend. When the girls did not share something, the former partner denounced her to the police.

In November 2024, criminal investigation officers of the police of the South-Eastern District of Moscow, together with colleagues from the city department, conducted a large-scale raid on the territory of several districts of Moscow. As a result, 70 brothels for prostitution were liquidated and 20 apartments for accommodation of illegal migrants were identified, the Interior Ministry said.

In the course of the events, 135 protocols were drawn up for prostitution and violation of the regime of stay in Russia, as well as seized cash, bank cards, cell phones, data carriers and rough accounting.

Read more in an exclusive Izvestia piece:

Sex Patent: How the system of ethnic prostitution in Moscow is organized