Moscow: Russia is facing a severe population crisis as birth rates continue to fall and the proportion of elderly citizens rises. President Vladimir Putin has grappled with this challenge for more than 25 years and considers it one of the greatest threats to the nation’s future.

In 1999, the number of births in Russia fell to a record low. Economic reforms led to a temporary rise in births, reaching 1.94 million in 2015. Since then, the birth rate has declined steadily. In 2024, only 1.22 million children were born, a figure matching the 1999 low. In February 2025, the birth rate hit its lowest in over 200 years.

Russia’s shrinking population has become a matter of serious concern. The country’s total population stood at 147.6 million in 1990 but has now decreased to 146.1 million. This

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