MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday signed into law a bill banning the adoption of Russian children by citizens of countries where gender transitioning is legal.

The legislation, previously approved by both houses of parliament, is part of a broader push to reinforce traditional values and suppress sexual minorities in Russia.

The ban applies to at least 15 countries, including most of Europe, Australia, Argentina, and Canada. The United States has been excluded since a separate 2012 law already prohibited American citizens from adopting Russian children.

Lower house Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin, one of the authors of the adoption ban, stated in July that it is "extremely important to eliminate possible dangers in the form of gender reassignment that adopted children may face in these countries."

Putin also signed another bill outlawing the dissemination of material that discourages having children, imposing fines of up to 5 million rubles (approximately $50,000).

Proponents of the law argue that public discussions about remaining child-free are part of alleged Western efforts to weaken Russia by promoting population decline.

In recent years, Putin and other top Russian officials have emphasized traditional family structures as a counter to Western liberal ideologies.

Facing a declining population, Putin has called for larger families, encouraging women to have as many as eight children.

Russia has enacted several measures targeting LGBTQ+ communities and gender minorities. In 2022, the country banned gender-transition medical procedures, and its Supreme Court declared the LGBTQ+ “movement” to be extremist.

A law passed the same year prohibits the distribution of LGBTQ+ information to people of all ages, expanding a 2013 ban that targeted minors.

Since Russia started its war with Ukraine in February 2022, Putin has increasingly portrayed the West as “satanic” and accused it of exporting liberal ideologies aimed at undermining Russia. — Agencies