In Ukraine, porn is illegal. So why do creators pay taxes?

While Ukraine is exposed to a war of skill on the eastern front and Russian attacks on its cities, one of the legislators is working on something that he can help the nation: legalizing pornography.

Yaroslav Zlizniak, Vice -Chairman of the Ukrainian Parliament, leads a batch to abandon what he considers ancient legislation in the Soviet era that prohibits possession, production and distribution of pornography.

He said that doing this will address what he and the people who make porn content say it is an unfair contradiction.

Violations of Ukraine laws regarding pornographic articles – Article 301 of the Criminal Code – are punishable by three to five years in prison. However, the financial authorities in Ukraine collect taxes from creators on web sites known as adult content, such as only.

This means that people who pay taxes on the pornography they produce can be prosecuted. “It is ridiculous,” said Mr. Zlizniak.

He also sees another benefit for Ukraine in changing the law. He said that he will increase tax revenues, because more creators in the field of pornography will be ready to announce their profits – a batch of an economy that struggles under the requirements of war that has more than three years.

“We need this money for our army,” he said.

Pornographic elements say it is just fair to cancel their work, given that they are asked to contribute to the tax lists.

Sorry? Your morals allow you to take our tax money? Kareena, 30, said, who was making sexually explicit content for five years. But “your morals allow you to imprison people to sell pictures of their bodies?” “I have no words,” she added.

Kareena and other creators who sell exciting pictures of only those who were interviewed for this article requested that they be recognized only by their first names, for fear of arrest.

Article 301 Ukraine is more strict than the laws of pornography in Most other European countriesThe United States and Russia, until it prohibits sending or receiving nude photos between two adults. Efforts to amend it in business for years.

Mr. Zhelezniak spent more than a year in formulating and collecting support for the draft law to cancel the criminalization of pornography, a effort that assumed more embarrassment in the fall of 2024.

And that is when the head of the Parliament’s Finance Committee, Danilo Hetmantevs, said that the tax authorities had learned that the Ukrainians were on only those who achieve an “important” income – 4 million dollars in one case, 3 million dollars in another case. He said that these artists should pay taxes.

Mr. Zhelezniak registered A Draft In November. He drew little attention to December, when Mr. Hetmasif Declare Only 350 models provided ads for a collective payment of about $ 1.6 million of taxes.

“This is very important money for the country in the war and we are grateful to girls for their responsible position and its contribution to victory,” Book on a telegram. Hetmantsev said it is supporting the bill because “the hypocrisy festival, when society condemns morally with one hand and takes money to the army with the other.”

The draft law-which was signed by 26 other legislators, including many President Folodimir Zelinski-was approved by the Law Enforcement Committee in Parliament. He is now waiting for a vote in Parliament, and he told Mr. Zhelezniak with a recent event that he had received 210 votes of 226 necessary votes. But not everyone is on board.

Yulia Tymoshenko, the leader of the opposition, criticized the suitability of the draft law in wartime. “What do you do?” she He said in Parliament. “Start living and working for Ukraine and for the people.”

It was also opposed by the head of the National Police, Ivan Bhavsky, Argument This legalization “will have a negative impact on moral values.”

But Kareena insists that her content is not harmful. She said, “I take pictures of myself and sell them.” “That’s it. I don’t harm anyone.”

Kareena said she had received a letter from the tax authorities in October, saying she owes funds of $ 3.1 million in profits only from 2020 to 2022.

She said, “I did not argue – I did that.” But even after paying $ 450,000 as taxes from her savings, she added: “I felt this annoying feeling that it will not end there.”

After weeks, her house was raided and seized a laptop. Now it is under investigation on suspicion of violating Article 301, according to its lawyer.

“I am completely disappointed with my country,” Kareena said. “It seems as if we were still in the Soviet Union, where they pretended that sex does not exist.”

Laysia Mikhaelinko, her tax lawyer, said that many customers moved abroad for fear of prison time.

The new law will not change the penalties for prostitution, human trafficking and images of sexual assault on children. But unlike those, Mshailenko said that her customers ’behavior is not victim – and includes approval.

She said: “Either you announce that this industry is completely immoral and prohibited, or it admits that it is not and criminalized it.” “The government cannot obtain in both directions.”

Svitlana, 38, another agent of Mykhailenko and Karina’s friend. Web camera modeling started in 19, first with naked video chat. Now the sexual videos with her husband are recorded to post them only.

“I don’t feel shy,” she said, designed that what she is doing is to choose her alone. It has work, its flexible and money. In a good month, Svetlana said, she can get about $ 100,000. She is proud of 630,000 fans only on Fans, who pay for the content “they want to see”.

When she got a letter from the tax authorities saying she had 15 days to pay a tax on about 4 million dollars from only income, Svetlana said it was “fortunately” had to support the country. Svetlana said it had donated the army since the war began.

The Svitlana Local Office helped submit its advertisement. For weeks, everything seemed fine. Kareena then called that her house had been raided. “We are in trouble,” I told her.

Svetlana said that she is afraid that her home will be the next, so she and her husband deleted videos and removed sex games – anything to hide their work. “We were afraid,” she said.

Svetlana said that a jury on the door recently came last month, along with a memorandum saying it was also under investigation on suspicion of violating Article 301.

Estimate Only 3500 Creators work in Ukraine, although it is not clear the number of content that will form pornography under Ukrainian law. (Many, but not everything, from the content only, is sexually honest) Quoted from data From government tax service.

Pornography can be criminalized about $ 12.3 million of taxes annually, According to the best organization connection officeThe European Union’s research tank in Ukraine. She said this would be sufficient to buy 24,000 drones or support the Anti -Corruption Court in Ukraine for a year.

Instead, public prosecutors brought nearly 1,400 cases under Article 301 to the court in 2024 – an increase of 757 in the previous year – which is what The best organization delivery office It is called “unsuitable“Determining resources during the war.

Mr. Zliznak, 35, said it takes some time to change the minds.

Although he can see humor in what he is doing and sometimes removed with colleagues, the reality, Mr. Chilznak said, “It is not a matter of laughter.”

Natalia Novosolova The reports contributed.