Amidst the ongoing war with Russia, Ukraine is now considering taking a step to raise money, which has caught everyone’s attention. There is a discussion going on in the country about the plan to give legal recognition to pornography i.e. adult videos and impose tax on it. Its main objective is to increase the government’s earnings, so that additional money can be provided for the necessary expenses incurred during the war. It is estimated that from this, revenue of about 25 million dollars i.e. about Rs 210 crore can be collected every year.
However, adult content work is already going on in Ukraine through the Internet and foreign platforms. This is why a big question is standing before the government. Currently, on one hand, tax can be collected on the income earned from such content, but on the other hand, activities related to it are considered a crime under the ambit of law. Now, through a new proposal, an effort is being made to remove this confusion and bring this entire business under the legal and tax system.
What is the law regarding pornography in Ukraine?
Currently, according to Ukrainian law, many activities related to pornography are illegal. This also includes creating, distributing or possessing adult content. If found guilty in such cases, the punishment can be up to seven years in jail. However, despite this, the business of adult content continues on the Internet and many people are earning money from it. Many content creators take help of foreign websites and online platforms. Some people do this work even while staying outside the country to avoid action. In such a situation, instead of allowing this business to run completely secretly, the government is now considering bringing it under the prescribed rules, so that it can be monitored and tax can also be collected on the income earned from it.
How much earning is estimated?
This proposal is being discussed the most about its potential earnings. Ukrainian MP Yaroslav Zelezniak says that if adult content is legalized and taxed, the government can get about $25 million, or about Rs 210 crore, every year. This amount may be small compared to the total expenditure on war, but in the current situation, more money means a lot for the government. According to Zelezniak, about 30 thousand drones can be purchased with this amount. This is the reason why the government is not only considering this proposal as a tax related decision, but is also looking at it as an option to raise additional money during the war.
OnlyFans reveals its earnings
This whole matter gained momentum when Ukrainian tax authorities came to know about the earnings of people working on online platforms. According to the report, information received from Fenix International, the British parent company of OnlyFans, revealed that in 2023, about 7,900 Ukrainians had earned more than $131 million from this platform. It is clear from this that this business is very big. But the real problem for the government is regarding taxes. If a creator shows his earnings, then where his money came from can be investigated. The reason is that pornography related activities are still considered illegal in Ukraine. That means, on one hand, the government wants to collect tax on this earning, but on the other hand, due to the existing law, this earning raises legal questions.
What will be the real catch?
MP Zelezniak has described the current situation as a legal contradiction. If you understand in simple language, the government wants people to pay tax on their earnings, but the work through which they are earning money can be a crime under the current law. In such a situation, a difficult situation arises in front of the creators. If they hide their income, there is a fear of tax action and if they give complete information about their income to the government, there can be a danger of action under the Pornography Act. To end this problem, the demand for change in the law is gaining momentum.
What arguments are being given on the proposal?
The reason for this proposal is not just government earnings. Its supporters say that when a business remains a crime in the eyes of law, but continues to operate on the ground, then the scope for corruption also increases. The report also mentions allegations of police officers in some areas of Ukraine allegedly taking money from businessmen related to adult content. Amidst such allegations, supporters argue that if business is brought under clear rules and tax system, then the scope for police arbitrariness and illegal recovery can be reduced.
The matter became more heated after the raid
The case of adult content creator Svitlana Dvornikova is also very important in this debate. This creator, who has about 10 lakh subscribers, claimed that the police had searched his house. According to her, at that time she was preparing her daughter for school. Dvornikova says that the police had seized electronic items and about $2 lakh in cash. He also alleged that officials demanded bribes from him. However, these are the allegations made by him and the legal process regarding the matter has been going on at a different level. Later, information about return of the seized amount also came to light.
Many creators chose the path out of the country
The fear of the law is so great that some Ukrainian adult content creators are leaving the country and working in other European countries. Some people rent space abroad and create online content from there, so that they can avoid legal action related to making pornography in Ukraine. At the same time, some people living in the country are looking for such ways so that their work does not directly come under the purview of the existing law. The report also mentions some webcam studios running in Lviv, where models work online and the operators also pay taxes.
How did the issue reach Parliament?
The demand to change the law has not come only from the MPs. Dvornikova also started a petition on the website of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in June 2025. Her argument was that if she was paying huge amount as tax to the government then why should she be seen as a criminal. According to the report, the petition received more than 25 thousand signatures in just a week. After this, President Zelensky talked about bringing a law on this issue in the Parliament.
Will porn now become completely legal in Ukraine?
At present it is too early to say so. The proposal has certainly moved forward in Parliament, but the law has not yet been finally implemented. The concerned bill has passed the first reading and is now awaiting the second reading. If the proposal is accepted, it will not just mean that Ukraine has suddenly given a free hand to adult content. The real change will be that an effort will be made to bring the already running big online business within the legal and tax system.
That is, Ukraine’s entire bet is on getting at least government income from the business which has proved difficult to stop, curbing corruption and getting the creators out of a situation where even after paying taxes, they remain at risk of crime. Now the whole world is keeping an eye on how far this decision progresses in the midst of war.