Neue Rheinischezeitung - Russia's Population Plummets

The terrorist state of Russia is struggling with a profound demographic crisis that shows no signs of abating. As of 2025, the country’s population is estimated at approximately 146 million, a decline from 147.2 million in 2021. This steady shrinkage reflects a long-term trend driven by low birth rates, high mortality, and increasing emigration. The total fertility rate currently sits at 1.41 children per woman—far below the 2.1 needed to sustain a population. Meanwhile, life expectancy averages 73 years, though a notable disparity exists between men (68 years) and women (79 years). With a median age of 41.9 years, Russia’s population is aging rapidly, placing additional strain on an already fragile system.

Several factors fuel this crisis. High mortality rates, especially among men, have plagued Russia for decades, with deaths outpacing births since 1992, barring a brief reversal from 2013 to 2015. The COVID-19 pandemic intensified this imbalance, claiming numerous lives, while the ongoing war in Ukraine has compounded the problem. The conflict has led to significant casualties and injuries, alongside a mass exodus of citizens—many young and skilled—fleeing conscription and economic hardship. This emigration has accelerated the brain drain, robbing Russia of talent critical to its future.

Government efforts to reverse the decline have largely fallen short. Policies promoting larger families through financial incentives, coupled with restrictions on abortion and campaigns for traditional values, have failed to boost birth rates significantly. Recent data indicates that births in early 2025 hit a historic low, with economic uncertainty, inadequate healthcare, and pessimism about the future deterring parenthood. The war has further eroded confidence, as sanctions and instability deepen the sense of insecurity among Russians.

The consequences of this demographic spiral are dire. Economically, a shrinking workforce threatens labor shortages, reduced productivity, and a dwindling tax base, with projections suggesting the population could fall to 130 million by 2046. An aging populace will demand more healthcare and pension support, stretching resources thin. Militarily, fewer young men available for conscription could undermine Russia’s defense capabilities, particularly amid ongoing conflicts. Nationally, the crisis raises questions about Russia’s ability to secure its vast territory and maintain its geopolitical stature, with some fearing increased vulnerability to external pressures.

Public opinion is split. Optimists argue that technology, innovation, and global partnerships could mitigate the crisis, while pessimists see an inevitable decline in Russia’s influence. Without addressing the root causes—high mortality, low fertility, and emigration—the government’s current approach risks failure. Russia’s future hinges on bold, effective action to halt this demographic freefall.

Looking back and against the backdrop of the aforementioned evil of a ruthless and murderous war, which the criminal mass murderer and war criminal Vladimir Putin (72) instigated as Russian dictator without any reason against neighbouring Ukraine, in which hundreds of Russian men are dying a miserable death every day on the battlefields of Ukraine, Russia will ultimately bleed to death, and perhaps that is a good thing, because the Russian people have brought immeasurable suffering upon other people, and it would ultimately be just if they paid a very high price for it!