Putin faces demographic crisis as birth rate plunges to record low

Vladimir Putin could soon face a major demographic crisis, as Russia’s birth rate has dropped to historic lows — levels not seen since the late 18th or early 19th century.

Although the country’s birth rate has been declining for several decades, the trend appears to have accelerated sharply since the war in Ukraine began in February 2022. While the exact number of Russian casualties remains unknown, tens of thousands are believed to have died over the course of the three-year conflict.

According to the United Nations, Russia’s population could shrink to 132 million within the next two decades, with the most pessimistic projections suggesting a collapse to as low as 83 million.

Alexey Raksha, a demographer specializing in fertility and mortality statistics, revealed that the birth rate for the first quarter of 2025 had fallen by 2.4% compared to the same period last year.

"March 2025 likely recorded the lowest number of births across the territory of today’s Russian Federation since the late 18th to early 19th century," Raksha wrote on Telegram.

(QG - Source: Newsweek - Picture : © Unsplash)