Slavery in Russia Slavery in Russia Slavery in Russia was officially abolished in 1723, when Peter the Great converted household slaves to serfs. In 2013, Global Slavery Index reported that unsatisfactory living conditions of migrant workers who for a number of reasons can not obtain work permits in Russia but continue to work in the country illegally and for minimum wage. In Kievan Rus' and Muscovy, legal systems usually referred to slaves as "kholopy". A kholop's master had unlimited power over his life: he could kill him, sell him, or use him as payment upon a debt. The master, however, had responsibility before
Crime in Russia fell rapidly in 1986–1987. Until the late 1980s, homicide rates in Russia were nearly similar to that in the United States. The increase in homicide rate in Russia began slightly earlier than 1990, and rose throughout the 1990s. Homicides were more common in Russia than in the Baltic states in 1991 and nearly doubled in frequency by 1994–1995. In 2003, the homicide rate in Russia was among the highest in the world. However, by 2017, homicide rate in Russia had fallen by 75%. By the end of 2018, Russia's homicide rate may be lower than that of the U.S. In