Russian President Vladimir Putin has reportedly encouraged Russians to engage in intimate relations during lunch and coffee breaks at work to address the country’s declining birth rate. The initiative comes as Russia’s fertility rate, currently at about 1.5 children per woman, falls significantly below the 2.1 rate required to maintain a stable population, Metro reported. Additionally, over a million, primarily younger Russians, have left the country amid the ongoing war with Ukraine
Health Minister Dr Yevgeny Shestopalov emphasised that being too busy at work is not a valid excuse for avoiding procreation. He suggested that people could take advantage of breaks to focus on expanding their families, noting that ”life flies by too quickly.”
When a reporter asked him how people working 12 to 14 hours a day would find time to have children, he responded by suggesting they could use their break times.
Previously, Putin has insisted, ”The preservation of the Russian people is our highest national priority. The fate of Russia….depends on how many of us there will be. It is a question of national importance.”
Notably, Russia’s birth rate has hit its lowest point since 1999, with the number of live births in June falling below 100,000. This drastic drop has raised concerns in Moscow about a severe population decline. According to Rosstat, Russia’s governmental statistics agency, the country has seen a significant decrease in births, with 16,000 fewer children born between January and June 2024 compared to the same period last year, as per Euro News.
This decline is further exacerbated by an 18% increase in population decline, with 49,000 more deaths recorded in 2024 than the previous year, likely due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
The Kremlin’s efforts to boost Russia’s declining birth rate have led to a series of measures, including:
- Free fertility checks: Women in Moscow, aged 18-40, are encouraged to undergo free fertility assessments to evaluate their “reproductive potential”.
- Employer coercion: MP Tatyana Butskaya has proposed a plan to pressure employers into encouraging their female employees to have children.
- Incentives: Chelyabinsk region is offering 8,500 pounds to female students under 24 for their first child’s birth
- Restricting abortion: Access to abortion across the country is being blocked as public figures and churchmen claim women’s duty is to give birth and raise children.
- Divorce fees: Fees for divorce have been increased to discourage separation.
Politician Anna Kuznetsova has also demanded women start giving birth at a young age. She said: ”You should start giving birth at 19-20 years old. Then, statistically, the family will be able to have three, four, or more children.”
However, critics argue these policies undermine individual autonomy, particularly for women, and may have unintended consequences on Russia’s social fabric.
