Latest news with #Rosstat
Russia Today
4 days ago
- Politics
- Russia Today
Russian demographer says fewer school years could deliver more babies
A senior Russian demographer has proposed cutting the number of years children must attend school in order to promote earlier parenthood and reverse a national trend towards lower fertility, TASS reports. Sergey Rybalchenko, head of the Public Chamber's Demography Commission, has argued that bold steps are necessary to prevent Russia's population from shrinking. In recent years, the country has seen negative natural population growth, falling from 149 million in 1993 to 146 million in 2025 despite an influx of immigrants and the unification of the country with Crimea in 2014 and four former Ukrainian regions in 2022. The country's population is poised to decrease to 138.8 million people in 2046, according to the base-case scenario developed by the federal statistics agency Rosstat. 'A shorter education period would enable young people to reach adulthood and plan to have children for two years earlier,' Rybalchenko told TASS, explaining the initiative. Getting married and having children at a higher age is linked to a longer period of social maturation, the demographer pointed out. Young people only start to think about children by the age of 27, as they spend 17 years getting an education and dedicate an additional three years to social adaptation after finishing university, he explained. It is possible to cut the number of years spent in school from 11 to 10, so that students can dedicate five years to getting a higher education without sacrificing quality, the expert noted. Students completing 10 grades have demonstrated equivalent knowledge to those completing 11 grades, he said. Russian MP Vitaly Milonov, who is known for his staunch support of 'traditional Russian values' and his vocal opposition to the 'child-free' ideology, said that the idea was underdeveloped. Russians, like many in East Asia, Europe and North America, have begun to postpone parenthood. The average age at which women first had children was 26.2 years in Russia in 2023, according to Health Minister Mikhail Murashko, compared to 23 in 1995. To address the demographic challenge, the government has increased financial incentives for families with children, taken steps to promote traditional family values, and in 2024 outlawed the promotion of the 'child-free' ideology. Russian President Vladimir Putin has previously emphasized the importance of creating favorable economic and social conditions to encourage people to have larger families and increase the birth rate.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Russians struggle to pay for potatoes as war eats up state funds
Russia has more potential agricultural area than anywhere else in the world but it has run out of potatoes and onions. Even President Vladimir Putin conceded there is a problem. "It turns out we are short of potatoes," he recently said, noting the lack of sugar beet and some other vegetables too. That came after the price of potatoes soared in Russian shops, almost tripling within the last year, according to official figures. Meanwhile the price of onions has doubled. Cabbage is now 50% more expensive than it was a year ago, says statistics agency Rosstat. Russians had to pay around $1 for a kilogram of potatoes in June but that is a lot in a place where pre-tax incomes are around $1,150 on average, Rosstat says. Pensions are just over $230. Rising food prices are one of the main drivers of inflation in Russia, which is currently 9.6%, says the Economic Development Ministry. The central bank is trying to keep inflation under control with a high key interest rate, currently at 20%. The reasoning goes, if high interest rates make it more difficult to take out loans, the amount of money in circulation will decrease. Less money means less demand and falling prices. But that has caused further complications. Economy minister warns of looming recession At the recent St Petersburg International Economic Forum, Economy Minister Maxim Reshetnikov issued a rare clearly-worded warning of problems facing the domestic economy. "According to the figures, we are experiencing a slowdown, and according to the current sentiment among entrepreneurs, we are already on the verge of a transition into recession," he said. The current interest rate level is discouraging entrepreneurs from investing, according to Reshetnikov. He estimates that investments in the third and fourth quarters could fall below last year's levels. But central bank chief Elvira Nabiullina pushed back the suggestion that her monetary policy is misguided, though she too predicts difficulties. Despite sanctions imposed in a bid to halt the war on Ukraine, Russia's economy had grown for two years - thanks to Moscow's programmes to replace imports, using money from the wealth fund and capital reserves in the banking system. "We must understand that many of these resources are indeed depleted, and we must think about a new growth model," says Nabiullina. The fact that the Russian economy has held up surprisingly well since Putin's attack on Ukraine, despite more than a dozen rounds of Western sanctions, is mainly due to the decisive shift towards war production. As weapons boom, civilian sectors struggle Putin confidant Sergei Chemezov, who heads the state-owned defence corporation Rostec, recently boasted of a "tenfold increase in ammunition and weapons compared to 2021." Critics say Russia's gross domestic product (GDP) growth does not reflect the economy's potential to produce new goods for its citizens or to raise their standard of living. Rather, it only shows that the budget-funded arms industry is producing more and more drones, missiles and tanks. Meanwhile, civilian sectors have long been struggling amid high costs, staff shortages and dated technology - a problem that has only been exacerbated by the sanctions. The construction and real estate sectors are mired in deep crisis. Car manufacturing has also stalled since Western manufacturers and suppliers turned away from Russia. And while China is selling more cars in Russia, it does not make them locally. Avtovaz, the Lada producer which is part of Chemezov's empire, has been unable to fill the gap left by Western carmakers. At the Economic Forum in St Petersburg, the company presented its latest model, the Lada Azimut, due to go into series production next year. But previous models are still piling up in warehouses due to a lack of demand. New car sales in Russia have slumped again after a brief upturn in 2024. In the first five months of this year, only around 450,000 vehicles were sold in total, a 26% drop. Avtovaz is also forecasting a 25% market slump for the year as a whole. The crisis is also affecting agricultural machinery manufacturer Rostselmash. A maker of combine harvesters and tractors, it has imposed compulsory leave on more than 15,000 employees. That leaves staff unclear whether they will be able to return to work afterwards. The factory had already slashed people's hours in March, and laid of 2,000 workers a month later. Paradoxically, Rostselmash is also unable to benefit from the widespread withdrawal of Western rivals. Sales of combine harvesters are stagnating, with the 20% market slump last year followed by a 10% to 15% decline so far this year. Some 40% of Rostselmash's annual production is gathering dust in warehouses. Farmers lack the cash to buy new technology - pitted against high interest rates and rising production costs. Shrinking harvests raise food security fears That in turn is affecting harvests. The year the Kremlin launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, 2022, Putin proudly reported a record grain harvest of 157 million tons. But yields have dropped annually since. Putin ordered grain harvests to be increased to 170 million tons and exports to 80 million tons by 2030. "But based on the latest trends, the movement in our country is going in the opposite direction," says Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev, who oversees agriculture. He called for this to be swiftly corrected. Moscow is now hoping for a better yield than last year as farmers start harvesting potatoes. A jump in supply could cause prices to fall, at least for the time being. Otherwise, Putin may have to resort to the recipe of his long-time ally, Belarusian ruler Alexander Lukashenko, dubbed the "potato dictator." Lukashenko - no lightweight himself - recently suggested Belarusians only eat potatoes once or twice a week at most - saying otherwise, they would get too fat.
Daily Mirror
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Wartorn Russia facing time bomb that could see population wipe out
In a major blow to Vladimir Putin, Russia is facing a declining birth rate with only 1.22 million births being recorded in 2024, the lowest number in the country since 1999 Russia is facing a demographic time bomb that could result in a "population wipe out" after new data suggested a massive drop in the number of women of reproductive age. Vladimir Putin is facing a catastrophic decline in demographics as a plunging birth rate and the ongoing war in Ukraine take its toll. Data from 2024 showed only 1.22 million births being recorded, the lowest rate since 1999. Russia's official statistical agency Rosstat said the rate is set to decline further to just 1.14 million by 2027. he country's high mortality rate has also been a major set back, exceeding births for several years. READ MORE: Putin sends troops to border in bid to 'threaten' another European country Drugs, alcoholism and deaths from the war in the Ukraine are all major contributors to the mortality rate in Russia. But declining birth rates is a major concern for officials in the country. Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Tayana Golikova old members of the Communist Party that the total number of child-bearing women would end up falling by 7 million by 2046, down from 34 million to 27 million. She added: "Russia lives on a decreasing trajectory of the main reproductive group of the population." She added Russian women refusing abortions increased to about 25 per cent, although later admitting "this is still not enough." Some experts believe Russia is now facing a crisis due to its declining birth rates. Ex-British commander Colonel Tim Collins told the UK Defence Review podcast last year that "Russia is dying" due to its "collapsing birth rate." In a move that might indicate Putin is getting nervous about the looming crisis, Rosstat said it would not publish monthly data about births and deaths in the country. Demographer Alexei Raksa previously said: "We consider the full suppression of regional demographic statistics a clear sign of failed demographic policy at the regional level." Russia's imperialist ambitions have taken centre stage in the country and has now started to threaten another neighbour just three years since the invasion of Ukraine. Putin has now set his sights on Zerbaikan, and has been building up its troop levels at a military base close to its ally. The country was formerly a part of the Soviet Union and gained its independence in 1991, alongside many other satellite states.
Miami Herald
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Russia Appears To Be Hiding Its Death Figures
The Russian government has stopped reporting the number of deaths in Russia as the Kremlin is likely keen to conceal Russia's losses from the war in Ukraine, a report says. Rosstat, Russia's state statistics agency, did not report key demographic data in its report for the first five months of 2025, according to independent outlet Meduza. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a think tank in Washington, D.C., said in a July 6 update that the Russian government wanted to conceal population data to hide growing demographic problems and high losses in Ukraine. Newsweek has contacted Rosstat for comment. Even before Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia was facing significant demographic challenges amid a plummeting birth rate. These have increased since February 2022 because of huge casualties and the exodus of Russians fleeing the draft, exacerbating a labor shortage that has fueled inflation in the sanctions-hit economy. Reports that Rosstat is trying to hide population data highlight the sensitivity for the Kremlin of the demographic crisis that Russia faces and the instability it may cause. Meduza reported on Saturday that Rosstat's "Socioeconomic Situation in Russia" report published on July 2 did not include demographic data between January and May this year. Electoral statistics researcher Dmitry Kobak said the agency had refused his request for figures from 2024 about male excess mortality and deaths per month, the outlet reported. In May, independent Russian demographer Alexey Raksha wrote on his Telegram channel that Rosstat had ceased publishing detailed population data and omitted figures for births and deaths and monthly data on marriages and divorces. Raksha, whom Russian authorities have declared a foreign agent, reported an absence of demographic statistics since March, adding that Russia may be having its lowest birth rates since the late 18th century. The omission of demographic data in Rosstat's reports is also likely an attempt to conceal the high military losses in Ukraine. As of Monday, Russia had suffered personnel losses of 1,027,540, according to Ukraine's military, a figure that includes those killed and injured. Ukraine's figures are difficult to independently verify, but they are frequently cited by Western officials. The British government said in April that Russia's likely total casualty count since February 2022 was 920,000. Meduza reported that as early as July 2024, Rosstat had begun to restrict death statistics from external causes, which independent journalists had used to calculate the number of Russians killed in the war. Institute for the Study of War reported on Sunday: "Rosstat is concealing population data in an attempt to obfuscate Russia's ongoing demographic problems, and the omission ... likely also aims to obscure the Russian military's high personnel loss rates." Russian demographer Alexey Raksha wrote on Telegram in May: "March (2025) set a record low for the average daily number of births in the Russian Federation." Branislav Slantchev, a professor of political science at the University of California, wrote on X, formerly Twitter: "The Kremlin is desperate to hide two things: the fact that Russia has lost over a quarter of a million soldiers killed in Ukraine, and the fact that the Russians have an abysmal birth rate that is about to crush them over the coming decades." The Kremlin has prioritized addressing Russia's demographic decline, announcing in December a "Strategy of Action" to provide financial incentives for people to have more children in the next five years and plans to ban "childfree ideology." Related Articles Lavrov Lists Russia Demands for Ukraine PeaceCaptive Audience: How Putin Shapes Russian OpinionsDonald Trump Threatens Russia Tariffs as Relationship With Putin WorsensPutin Claims Credit for US Independence 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Newsweek
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Russia Appears To Be Hiding Its Death Figures
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Russian government has stopped reporting the number of deaths in Russia as the Kremlin is likely keen to conceal Russia's losses from the war in Ukraine, a report says. Rosstat, Russia's state statistics agency, did not report key demographic data in its report for the first five months of 2025, according to independent outlet Meduza. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a think tank in Washington, D.C., said in a July 6 update that the Russian government wanted to conceal population data to hide growing demographic problems and high losses in Ukraine. Newsweek has contacted Rosstat for comment. The grave of Dmitry Utkin, a military commander of the private mercenary group Wagner, at the Federal Military Memorial Cemetery in Moscow, on August 31, 2023. The grave of Dmitry Utkin, a military commander of the private mercenary group Wagner, at the Federal Military Memorial Cemetery in Moscow, on August 31, It Matters Even before Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia was facing significant demographic challenges amid a plummeting birth rate. These have increased since February 2022 because of huge casualties and the exodus of Russians fleeing the draft, exacerbating a labor shortage that has fueled inflation in the sanctions-hit economy. Reports that Rosstat is trying to hide population data highlight the sensitivity for the Kremlin of the demographic crisis that Russia faces and the instability it may cause. What To Know Meduza reported on Saturday that Rosstat's "Socioeconomic Situation in Russia" report published on July 2 did not include demographic data between January and May this year. Electoral statistics researcher Dmitry Kobak said the agency had refused his request for figures from 2024 about male excess mortality and deaths per month, the outlet reported. In May, independent Russian demographer Alexey Raksha wrote on his Telegram channel that Rosstat had ceased publishing detailed population data and omitted figures for births and deaths and monthly data on marriages and divorces. Raksha, whom Russian authorities have declared a foreign agent, reported an absence of demographic statistics since March, adding that Russia may be having its lowest birth rates since the late 18th century. The omission of demographic data in Rosstat's reports is also likely an attempt to conceal the high military losses in Ukraine. As of Monday, Russia had suffered personnel losses of 1,027,540, according to Ukraine's military, a figure that includes those killed and injured. Ukraine's figures are difficult to independently verify, but they are frequently cited by Western officials. The British government said in April that Russia's likely total casualty count since February 2022 was 920,000. Meduza reported that as early as July 2024, Rosstat had begun to restrict death statistics from external causes, which independent journalists had used to calculate the number of Russians killed in the war. What People Are Saying Institute for the Study of War reported on Sunday: "Rosstat is concealing population data in an attempt to obfuscate Russia's ongoing demographic problems, and the omission ... likely also aims to obscure the Russian military's high personnel loss rates." Russian demographer Alexey Raksha wrote on Telegram in May: "March (2025) set a record low for the average daily number of births in the Russian Federation." Branislav Slantchev, a professor of political science at the University of California, wrote on X, formerly Twitter: "The Kremlin is desperate to hide two things: the fact that Russia has lost over a quarter of a million soldiers killed in Ukraine, and the fact that the Russians have an abysmal birth rate that is about to crush them over the coming decades." What Happens Next The Kremlin has prioritized addressing Russia's demographic decline, announcing in December a "Strategy of Action" to provide financial incentives for people to have more children in the next five years and plans to ban "childfree ideology."
