Russia's Demographic Dilemma: The Battle for a Growing Population

In the 25 years since Vladimir Putin rose to power, Russia has grappled with a declining and aging population. This demographic issue first surfaced when births reached their lowest recorded number in 1999, a year before Putin assumed office. Despite various strategies aimed at boosting the birth rate, including free school meals for larger families and medals for mothers of ten or more children, demographic challenges persist.

The economic uncertainty, war in Ukraine, and the emigration of young men have eroded the hard-won gains in birth numbers, which rose from 1.21 million in 1999 to a peak of 1.94 million in 2015, before declining. Russia reports a current population of 146.1 million, down from 147.6 million at the dawn of the post-Soviet era.

Policies promoting 'traditional family values', coupled with restrictions on abortion and LGBTQ+ activities, are seen by officials as solutions to demographic woes. However, critics argue these measures risk infringing individual freedoms and failing to provide the economic stability necessary for boosting birth rates. With immigration policies tightened, the prospects for reversing these trends remain uncertain amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.