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Vladimir Putin again cast Russia’s demographic slide as urgent, but the numbers keep sinking. Births climbed from 1.21 million in 1999 to 1.94 million in 2015, then fell to 1.22 million last year, with February 2025 the weakest month in over two centuries, a demographer reported. Russia’s population stands at 146.1 million, older than in 1990, and deaths now outpace births. The Kremlin is mixing incentives and symbolism with tighter controls—limits on abortion access, bans on “child-free” promotion and LGBTQ+ activism—while war, emigration and anti-migrant policies deepen uncertainty. Critics warn the measures won’t raise births and risk harming women.

Prepared by Emily Rhodes and reviewed by editorial team.