Birth Decline: Putin's Russia Faces a Serious Problem

The baby count in Russia plunged to alarming lows under Putin's presidency. The Russian government now faces a stark issue: the country's birth rate hit its lowest point since 2000. This drop is a big concern for Russia's future. Experts say Russia needs more babies to keep its population steady. Putin spoke out about this problem. He promised to reverse Russia's declining birth rate. But he faces a huge challenge. Ukraine's invasion has led to a large number of deaths and departures. In the early days of the 21st century, Russia saw a sharp drop in births. However, it subsequentlyrebounded and reached 1. 943 million. The recent data shows a sharp downtrend. Russia's birth rate dropped to 1. 264 million in 2023. That's fewer than a historic low of 1. 267 million in 2000, when Putin took the reins. Various regions show stark contrasts. The birth rate plummeted in certain regions. However, it saw growth in the Caucasus. Despite these variations, the overall trend is troubling. Data suggests that Russia is dealing with a real demographic crisis. The average woman in Russia is expected to have fewer children than needed to maintain the current population. Among other efforts to help the situation, Russia has plans to give money to college students who have kids.