Aims: This ecological comparison study explored temporal trends since 1985 in age-adjusted suicide and homicide rates for older male adults (over the age of 65) resident in the EU and the Russian Federation.

Methods: The data were extracted from the World Health Organization’s (WHO) European mortality database.

Results: Older men resident in the Russian Federation had a higher risk of dying a violent death (by homicide and by suicide) than their younger compatriots (relative risks (RR) ranging from 1.13 to 1.31). Conversely, in the EU, older men had a higher risk of dying from suicide (RRs of 1.52 for men over the age of 65 and 3.27 for men over the age of 75) and a lower risk of being victims of homicide (RRs ranging between 0.84 and 0.89) than their younger compatriots.

Conclusions: The European region is characterized by great inequalities in rates of violent deaths among the elderly.