The 400 lawmakers present at the Russian parliament, the 450-seat Duma, unanimously passed the toughening of a strict anti-gay law in a first reading on Thursday, its official website stated. 

Moscow has been pressing a conservative drive domestically while its troops continue to fight in Ukraine following the invasion on February 24. 

Lawmakers "unanimously adopted in the first reading amendments to the legislation regarding the prohibition of propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations," the statement read. 

DW correspondent Juri Rescheto said that the law didn't "change anything fundamentally," but it made "an already difficult situation worse."

While Russia's LGBTQ community has grown accustomed to "state-sponsored homophobia for the past 25 years", they had to be "concerned about their safety."

Rescheto saw this as a reason for Russians not protesting the law, as they had "completely different problems at the moment," above all the partial mobilization of men drafted to fight in Ukraine. 

According to him, Russians were "restricted, imitated," and "disoriented" since the partial mobilization had begun. 

What is Russia's anti-LGBTQ law?

On Monday, the Duma held a consultation session on the amendments to the 2013 law, which bans exposing minors to "gay propaganda."

The new bill toughens this by banning the "denial of family values" and the "promotion of non-traditional sexual orientations" of all ages. 

Lawmakers saw Russia's increased confrontation with the West and its armed forces battling in Ukraine as a motivation to tighten the law. 

Alexander Khinstein, one of the lawmakers and head of the Duma's information committee, said the Ukraine offensive had given the proposed law "new relevance." 

"The special operation takes place not only on the battlefield, but also in the minds and souls of people," Khinstein said. Russians officially call their country's continued invasion of and war in Ukraine a "special military operation." 

The banker and conservative media owner Konstantin Malofeyev told the Duma on Monday that passing the law was integral to Russia's war effort. 

"The war is not only on the battlefield. It is also in the smartphones of our children, in cartoons and films," Malofeyev said. 

"Our enemy really holds the propaganda of sodomy as the core of its influence," he said. 

On top of this, President Vladimir Putin ordered Russian schools to conduct patriotic education programs and introduce new subjects meant to instill patriotism. 

Publishers take note

Book publishers, however, have expressed concern about the bill, which they say could have unexpected effects if enacted. They have argued that several works of Russian literature, including "Anna Karenia," "And Quiet Flows the Don" and "Lolita," could all be affected by the proposed law. 

los/rt (AFP, Reuters, dpa)