War-torn Russia facing 'population wipe out' ticking time bomb

Russia's demographic crisis looks set to intensify, after new data suggested a huge drop in the number of women of reproductive age. The country has already seen its population decimated by war and a plunging birth rate.

Data from last year shows that only 1.22 million births were recorded, the lowest annual total since 1999. And the birth rate is expected to continue falling to just 1.14 million by 2027, according tot Russia's official statistical agency, Rosstat.

Russia also has relatively high mortality rates, with deaths exceeding births for several years now.

Alcoholism and drugs are major causes of illness and death, as of course is the war in Ukraine.

The demographic crisis looks set to get worse, with the number of reproductive-aged women set to decline steeply.

Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova told a meeting of Communist Party MPs that the number of child-bearing women would drop by 7 million by the year 2046 - from 34 million to just 27 million.

She noted: "Russia lives on a decreasing trajectory of the main reproductive group of the population."

Golikova added that the share of Russian women refusing abortions has increased to almost 25%, but "this is still not enough."

Russia's natural population declined by over 3 million people between 2016 and 2024.

Some experts believe Russia is facing an existential crisis due to its catastrophic birth rates.

Colonel Tim Collins - a former British commander - told the UK Defence Review podcast last year that "Russia is dying" due to a "collapsing birth rate".

In a clear sign the Kremlin is increasingly panicking about the demographic crisis, Rosstat announced this week it would stop publishing monthly data on births and deaths.

The agency already no longer publishes regional breakdowns of births and deaths, prompting critics to accuse the Kremlin of trying to cover up its failed policies.

Demographer Alexei Raksha said at the time: "We consider the full suppression of regional demographic statistics a clear sign of failed demographic policy at the regional level."