Russia is on its way to formally prohibiting all adoption by same-sex couples and also banning the adoption of Russian children by single people or unmarried couples from countries that allow same-sex marriage.
The lower house of Russia's parliament voted unanimously for the ban on Tuesday.
The bill still needs to be confirmed in a procedural third reading on Friday and then passed by the upper house and signed into law by President Vladimir Putin, but many say Russia's rubber-stamp legislative system leaves little room for doubt.
Russia has more than 600,000 children who are not in parental custody, including 100,000 who live in institutions.
Adoption has been a major political football since a law was passed last December banning Americans from adopting Russian children.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
