Archive · 19 Dec 2025
Russia's Extreme Campaign to Boost Birth Rate
Russia is trying really hard to get people to have more babies.
The country has a low birth rate, and many young men have either died in the war in Ukraine or left the country.
The government is offering money and support to families with children and even trying to limit access to abortions.
They are also trying to make people have more sex by suggesting things like turning off social media at night.
But many women are scared and sad because of the war, and they don't want to have children in this situation.
The government's efforts don't seem to be working very well.
Russia's fertility rate is 1.4 births per woman, below the replacement rate of 2.1.
The government is offering incentives like pregnancy payouts and maternal support to encourage more births.
Restrictions include limiting access to abortions and stigmatizing childlessness.
The war in Ukraine has resulted in the deaths of an estimated 250,000 Russian men and an exodus of young men avoiding military service.
Despite these efforts, 40% of Russian women of childbearing age do not plan to have children in the next five years.
- Who
- Russian government and citizens
- What
- Efforts to boost birth rate through incentives and restrictions
- When
- Ongoing, with recent intensification due to demographic decline and war in Ukraine
- Where
- Russia
- Why
- To combat declining and aging population, exacerbated by war and economic uncertainty
- Fertility Rate (2023)
- 1.4 births per woman
- Replacement Rate
- 2.1 births per woman
- Deaths vs. Births (2023)
- Deaths outpaced births by 500,000
- Russian Men Killed in Ukraine
- 250,000
- Russian Men Fled to Avoid Service
- Hundreds of thousands
- Russian Women Not Planning Children (Next 5 Years)
- 40%
- Russia's Rank in Excess Mortality (Covid-19)
- Top 10
- Lowest Birth Rate in Russia
- 1999 (Post-Soviet collapse)