I saw this earlier as well.

They're saying it is to return to "traditional family values".

Why would they care about this?. Comes across as them making an effort to emphasise their faith.

Domestic violence kills 14,000 women every year, the Russian Interior Ministry estimates. And just 2 percent of Russian victims of domestic abuse report attacks to police.

The Russian Orthodox Church also backs the bill, which its leaders see as in line with its patriarchal view demanding a man’s wife and children’s absolute submission to him.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/...b09281d0eb2027