Due to the fact that Russia is on the list of countries with a high level of HIV infection, the investigation of factors stimulating the spread of infection is becoming especially urgent. This article presents an analysis of the similarities between the regions of Russia in terms of socio-economic and demographic indicators, and identifies factors that affect the spread of HIV infection in the regions of Russia. The purpose of this study is to identify the socio-economic factors affecting the spread of HIV infection in the regions of Russia, which in the future can be a tool for deliberating recommendations and regulating the situation of infection spread. By using clustering methods, the first stage of the analysis identifies such regions which are similar to the Sverdlovsk Region across thematic blocks and over the whole set of the considered indicators. After highlighting significant factors from the thematic blocks, the impact of these factors on the prevalence of HIV in the Russian regions was estimated with the use of econometric analysis. As a result, it was shown that the richer and more economically developed regions are, the more HIV cases there are. The level of per capita GRP and new housing construction s per capita has a positive direct correlation with the emergence of new HIV cases in the population. The unemployment rate and the share of people with income below the subsistence level have a negative correlation with the number of new HIV cases in the population. In addition to economic factors, social factors of HIV infection were proved to be significant. The level of education and culture of the region has a positive direct relationship with the emergence of detected cases of HIV, and the increase in the number of crimes in the region has a reverse effect on the explained variable. The methodology presented in the article for the disclosure of vulnerable groups that influence the spread of HIV infection provides opportunity for estimation of HIV-related risks.