Putin Urges Russians to Reproduce: Ethnic Survival at Stake

Russian President Vladimir Putin urged Russian families on Thursday to have at least two children to preserve the ethnic identity of the nation, and to have three or more for the country to grow and thrive. Putin mentioned to employees at a tank factory in the Ural region that two children per family is the minimum "if the people of Russia want to maintain their identity." He added, "If we want to remain as an ethnic group, or as ethnic groups that inhabit Russia, we need at least two children." He continued, "If each family has only one child, the population will decline. For progress and development, you need at least three children." The official statistics office estimated that Russia's population reached 146.4 million at the beginning of 2023, down from about 149 million 20 years ago, but up from 143 million between 2007 and 2012. Russia has experienced a gradual population decline over two decades following the collapse of the Soviet Union, exacerbated by chronic issues such as alcohol addiction.