RCC Proposes Criminalizing Graffiti at Water Facilities and Strengthening Removal Procedures

A major water utilities operator in Russia, known as Russian Communal Systems, has urged lawmakers to criminalize graffiti by proposing the inclusion of a dedicated graffiti clause within the Criminal Code. The initiative would treat graffiti as vandalism and could lead to detention of up to 40 days under existing penalties, according to the operator’s position. The company also argued that authorities should gain authority to target graffiti authors directly and support establishing a formal procedure for removing graffiti while enabling transparent oversight for campaigns to apply these measures to Russian facilities. The operator’s press office noted that graffiti disrupts water infrastructure nationwide and has appeared at pumping stations and cultural sites. Under current law, property owners are typically required to restore affected objects by painting over the inscriptions, and owners sometimes face fines for non-compliance.