Russian State Duma Abolishes Annual Income Declarations for Officials, Transitioning to Poseidon System

On December 18, 2025, the State Duma of the Russian Federation concluded its review of a significant legislative package, approving three draft laws in their second and third readings. These new statutes fundamentally overhaul the system for monitoring the financial standing of state employees, senators, and deputies. This landmark decision signals a definitive shift away from the previous requirement for periodic income declarations toward a continuous, situational approach to anti-corruption oversight.

The legislative proposal, championed by a group of deputies led by Vasily Piskarev, the Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Security and Anti-Corruption Efforts, is framed as a move to substantially boost the effectiveness of anti-graft measures. Central to this new framework is the State Information System (GIS) known as 'Poseidon.' Reports indicate that this closed system has been operational since 2022, managed under the direction of the Presidential Administration. Poseidon is designed to serve as the primary monitoring tool, consolidating essential data sourced from the Federal Tax Service (FNS), Rosreestr, and the Bank of Russia.

Under the revised regulations, the mandatory annual submission of income and asset declarations for these specific groups of officials is being eliminated. Proponents of this reform argue that the continuous monitoring facilitated by Poseidon will enable the swift identification of financial discrepancies in near real-time. Vasily Piskarev had previously characterized the old system of annual disclosure as 'archaic.' However, the requirement for officials to file declarations will remain in place for specific life events, such as taking up a new post, transferring to a different agency, or being included in the federal personnel reserve.

Furthermore, officials will now be obligated to provide comprehensive financial details if the value of assets acquired within a single year surpasses the combined three-year income of their entire family. This specific trigger—where annual expenditures exceed three years of family income—is established as a key condition necessitating disclosure. This adjustment builds upon a trend that began in December 2022, when a Decree from President Vladimir Putin suspended the public release of annual declarations and simultaneously exempted participants in the special military operation in Ukraine from declaration requirements.

Despite these changes, the 'A Just Russia' political faction voiced its opposition to abandoning public reporting, viewing the move as a potential erosion of governmental accountability principles. Conversely, advocates for the Poseidon system contend that its reliance on integrated data from the FNS, Rosfinmonitoring, Rosreestr, and the Bank of Russia will allow for a more granular analysis of the financial positions of monitored individuals. This, they assert, will permit a more agile response to corruption indicators, including the initiation of criminal cases and the confiscation of illicitly obtained assets.

This legislative innovation in 2025 solidifies the Russian Federation's commitment to the digital transformation of its anti-corruption controls. The focus is clearly shifting from public self-reporting to automated data collection and analysis. Should the law receive Presidential signature before the close of 2025, these new stipulations are slated to take effect beginning January 1, 2026.