Anna Popova from Russian consumer protection and wellbeing agency "Rospotrebnadzor" says that mpox (monkey pox) is not a problem because "due to the specifics of its transmissions" (read: sexual transmission) its spread in Russia is unlikely thanks to "traditional family values".

However spread of another sexually transmitted disease HIV in Russia contradicts this optimism: as of 2019 almost 1.5% of population in Russia was HIV positive and 63% transmissions were through a heterosexual contact, which contradicts the official narrative that it's limited to drug addicts and homosexual men. In addition, since Kremlin decided to push the "last bastion of traditional values" narrative any NGOs that work with HIV-positive people have been labeled "foreign agents" and general availability of anti-viral therapy has been limited.