In 2023, fewer children were born in Russia since 1991

In 2023, the decline in the birth rate in Russia reached a record level since the collapse of the USSR. This was reported by demographer Alexey Raksha, who analyzed data from the registry office and Rosstat. According to him, 1.213 million children were born in Russia last year. The data do not include the annexed Crimea and Chechnya, for which statistics have not yet been published.

Previously, the most “failed” birth year since Russia’s independence was 1999, when 1.215 million babies were born.

The life expectancy of Russians in 2023 was about 73.5 years. This is higher than in previous years. Raksha suspects that 30-40% of deaths at the front in Ukraine may not have been included in the statistics, which could reduce the figure of life expectancy “by a couple of tenths, and for men it is twice as strong.”

Russian demographers, including official authorities, had previously predicted a further decline in the birth rate. The Russian Social Fund, which, in particular, deals with issues of maternity capital and child benefits, last fall published a forecast according to which 1.245 million people will be born in the country in 2023, 1.172 million in 2024, and 1.153 million in 2025 , and in 2026 – 1.143 million children.

• The falling birth rate is regularly brought up for discussion by the Russian authorities. In order to “raise the demographics”, they come up with initiatives to restrict access to abortion and contraception. The Minister of Health, Mikhail Murashko, called it a “vicious practice” for women to first get an education and provide for themselves financially, and only then to think about having children.