Background. The increase in the prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a global trend, which can lead to the loss of years of healthy life and an increase in disability of the population. For the planning of measures for the treatment of patients, it is key to have data on the epidemic situation for the disease and the main trends in its development. Objective. To analyze the epidemiology of RA before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and methods. We analyzed the official data of the forms of statistical observation for 2015–2024 using standard methods of statistical data processing. Outcomes. The average incidence rate of RA for 2015–2023 is 2.9±0.2 (0.8) per 100,000 children 0-14 years old for children 0-14 years old, 6.66±0.74 (2.33) per 100,000 children 15-17 years old for adolescents; 27.40±0.47 (1.49) per 100,000 adults for adults and 22.50±0.37 (1.17) per 100,000 population in general. from 201.0 to 235.7, probably due to the increase in patients' life expectancy. In total, 344,420 RA patients were registered in 2024, including 3179 children. In 2024, 5.4% of patients with RA were detected during preventive examinations and medical examinations. The highest general and primary incidence of RA is observed in the North-European part of Russia (the Republic of Karelia) and the North-East of Eurasia (the Sakha Region (Yakutia), the Kamchatka Territory, the Chukotka). In the absence of dynamics of in-hospital morbidity of RA in the context of a decrease in the coverage of patients with RA with hospitalization, there is a decrease in the average period of their hospitalization from 12.6 to 8.2 days. The mortality rate from RA ranged from 0.57 to 0.75 per 100,000 population; the relative risk of death of RA patients from the initial cause of death of RA varied from 0.16 to 0.27 in different years. Conclusion. The increase in the overall incidence of RA is associated with the accumulation of RA patients due to an increase in their life expectancy. Despite the implementation of measures for medical examination of the population, most cases of RA are detected only when seeking medical care; this can lead to additional losses due to the disability of the population and the need for joint replacement surgery.