More than a million Russians have emigrated since Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine, according to the UK.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said in its latest update that Russia has a “serious demographic problem” due to its “ageing and declining population”.
In a post shared on X, the intelligence officials said: “This is further accentuated by the emigration of approximately 1.3 million Russians since the invasion of Ukraine, including many younger and well-educated, coupled with significant Russian casualties.”
According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces, Russia has lost approximately 850,490 of its soldiers since Putin invaded in February 2022.
The MoD added: “Demographic problems present a long-term structural challenge to Russian society and the Russian economy.
“The Russian leadership’s attempts to increase birth rates are highly unlikely to arrest Russia’s declining population in the short term.”
Putin has repeatedly tried to encourage Russians to procreate.
Back in November 2023, the Russian president said increasing the population would be “our goal for the coming decades” and encouraged people to have up to eight children.
The MoD also noted that the Russian president signed a law in November last year banning alleged “childfree propaganda”.
The MoD said: “The legislation reportedly imposes fines of up to 400,000 rubles (approximately USD $4,100 for individuals and up to 5m rubles (approximately USD $51,000) for organisations convicted.”
A fine was issued for the first time – in either Russia or occupied Ukraine – earlier this month.
A local woman in illegally annexed Crimea was charged 50,000 rubles (USD $500) for alleged “childfree propaganda,” according to independent Russian media Novaya Gazeta Europe.
