Russian President Vladimir Putin has introduced a striking initiative to address the country’s declining birth rate. Under this new plan, workers are encouraged to engage in intimate activities during work breaks as part of a larger strategy to combat Russia’s shrinking population. This approach is being implemented alongside other measures to counteract emigration and the impact of ongoing conflicts, particularly the war in Ukraine.
"The preservation of the Russian people is our highest national priority," Putin said. "The fate of Russia... depends on how many of us there will be. It is a question of national importance."
Currently, Russia's fertility rate is around 1.5 children per woman, significantly lower than the 2.1 rate required for population stability. In response, the government has introduced various incentives, including free fertility screenings for women in Moscow and financial support for new mothers. For instance, young women in the Chelyabinsk region are offered £8,500 for their first child.
Russian Health Minister Dr. Yevgeny Shestopalov supports the new policy, dismissing concerns about busy work schedules as an obstacle to family planning. "You can have children during breaks," Shestopalov said, underlining that work should not hinder reproduction.
Furthermore, proposals from political figures like MP Tatyana Butskaya suggest tracking employee birth rates to encourage more frequent childbearing. Other suggested measures include restricting abortion access and increasing divorce fees to promote family growth.
In Addition, the Kremlin is advocating for women to have children at younger ages, with officials like Anna Kuznetsova and Zhanna Ryabtseva promoting early motherhood to encourage larger families.
In a related development, President Putin has ordered a significant expansion of Russia's military forces. The plan aims to increase army personnel by 180,000, raising the total to 2.38 million troops, with 1.5 million active members. This expansion is intended to position Russia's military as the second largest in the world, following China, and is seen as a strategic move to bolster national security amid ongoing global conflicts and heavy losses from the Ukraine conflict.
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