Russian authorities have rejected a European Court of Human Rights order to recognise same-sex unions.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has reaffirmed that same-sex marriages are “not allowed” under Russia’s constitution.
The Strasbourg court had issued a ruling on Tuesday urging Moscow to formally acknowledge homosexual couples.
But senior Russian lawmakers have accused the court of “meddling” in the country’s internal affairs.
Under constitutional amendments adopted last year, Russia outlawed same-sex unions by stipulating that the “institution of marriage is a union between a man and a woman”.
But the European Court of Human Rights was urged to rule on the amendments, and whether Russia had violated its citizen’s right to respect for private and family life.