The video surveillance system in Saint Petersburg has been updated and now the cameras can identify people's racial and ethnic characteristics. This was reported by Upl.uz.
According to Igor Nikonov, Deputy Chairman of the Information Committee, this technology is intended to be a convenient tool for law enforcement agencies to monitor migration situations. Since March 2025, approximately 50,000 cameras in Saint Petersburg have been equipped with new software.
During the city budget discussion, Nikonov stated that the system analyzes faces according to six general categories: Caucasian, East Asian, Central Asian, Asian, European features, and Negroid race. At the same time, the algorithms identify ethnic affiliation based on appearance rather than exact nationality.
The main purpose of implementing this technology is to better control migration flows. By analyzing the density of representatives of certain ethnic groups in city areas, the police will be able to identify places where migrants live in large numbers, including residences known as "rubber apartments."
According to Igor Nikonov, law enforcement agencies will take appropriate measures based on the obtained data. It is still too early to speak about the practical results of the system.
The effectiveness of the new functionality and its impact on crime detection statistics will be evaluated by the end of the year. The idea of using cameras to identify ethnic affiliation sparked debates among some officials when it was discussed in February 2025.
Valery Fadeev, Chairman of the Russian Presidential Council for Human Rights, criticized this approach as degrading human dignity. At the same time, a new initiative concerning migrants was also proposed in the Russian parliament.
Deputies from the "New People" faction suggested adding a compulsory exam for foreign citizens that includes a section on rules of conduct with women in Russia. According to the deputies, this initiative is necessary due to the increase in cases of harassment and violence against women by foreigners.
The goal is to familiarize migrants with the legal consequences of such actions. The first facial recognition systems appeared in the 1960s and required manual indication of key points on photos.
Modern artificial intelligence networks analyze thousands of parameters on the face automatically in less than a few seconds.
