Kremlin warns of ‘huge’ demographic challenge

The Kremlin has raised the alarm over Russia’s shrinking population, with spokesperson Dmitry Peskov calling the demographic decline a “huge challenge” for the nation. 

Speaking on Wednesday at the ‘Knowledge. First’ education marathon in Moscow, Peskov urged citizens to take the issue seriously, underscoring the impact of the country’s dwindling birth rate.

“Unfortunately, there are very few of us,” Peskov said, adding that “We have a huge country, the largest in the world, but a very small population. A huge challenge for us!” 

Peskov, a father of six, stressed that “each of us must think about demography.” This decline has pushed the Kremlin to consider ways to ensure a “margin of safety” for the nation, he added, advocating for a “visionary sense” that could guide development in all sectors.

Data from Moscow’s Institute of Social Analysis and Forecasting has revealed the depth of the issue: The birth rate has now dropped to early 2000s levels. Last year, Russia recorded just 1.265 million births, and early data from 2024 shows no improvement, with around 600,000 children born in the first half of the year. 

According to analytics, population growth in Eastern Europe is generally weak, while Russia’s birth rate remains higher than that of many neighboring countries. Despite this, the Kremlin’s concerns reflect a growing concern about maintaining a healthy population level.

In recent years, immigration has helped stabilize Russia’s overall population, particularly as major cities have seen an influx from Central Asia. This shift has created social tension in some regions, with the growth of new ethnic communities prompting calls for stronger integration policies. 

Meanwhile, civil society groups such as ‘Veterans of Russia’ have also proposed that boosting remote work opportunities for women could help support higher birth rates, arguing that women who can work from home are more likely to consider having children.

Peskov reiterated the importance of having a long-term vision, telling the audience that “the ability to think about how to bring the best closer today” will be essential. By fostering population growth and forward-thinking development, he said, “we will have a super-strong country.”