Valentine’s Day is a "spiritual venereal disease" and a form of "cultural sabotage" against Russia, according to Vitaly Milonov, a controversial deputy in Russia's State Duma.

Speaking to the state-owned media outlet RT, Milonov—known for his extreme anti-Western rhetoric—denounced the holiday’s Western origins and commercial nature.

Milonov, deputy chair of the parliamentary committee on family, women, and children, described the celebration as "plastic nonsense" imported during the 1990s.

"Why do we need this plastic nonsense? What does this ‘holiday’ bring to our country? I believe the introduction of Valentine's Day was a successful spiritual diversion against Russia, carried out by liberals in the 1990s," Milonov said.

The MP compared the influence of the holiday to a contagious disease infecting Russian society.

The same day, Milonov spoke to the state-run TASS news agency, describing Valentine's Day as a symbol of the degradation of spiritual values into "vulgarity and materialism," and a reflection of "the regression of Christian values in modern Western Europe."

"All these discounts on shameful products, lingerie, 'love drops,' and various stimulating pills have become the symbol of this holiday,” he said, even suggesting that the government establish a special police force to regulate the sale of such goods.

"I can honestly say that it's absolutely clear to me that Russia lacks an authority that could be called a morality police—an institution that would monitor compliance with the norms and rules needed to protect traditional values from such commercial encroachments,” he said.

This is not the first time Milonov has attacked Western cultural practices with similarly inflammatory remarks. In recent months, he has called for "body positivity" to be outlawed, suggested bombing Ukraine with sex toys, and proposed sending divorced men to the front lines as punishment. In previous years, he advocated for the sterilisation of LGBT Russians and a ban on shirtless men walking the streets.