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For a quarter of a century, President Vladimir Putin has grappled with Russia's declining and ageing population.
The demographic crisis predates his ascent to power, with the nation recording its lowest birth rate in 1999, the year before he took office.
In 2005, Mr Putin acknowledged the issue, stating that these demographic challenges necessitated maintaining "social and economic stability." He reiterated his concern in 2019, admitting the problem still "haunted" the country.
Most recently, on Thursday, he addressed a Kremlin demographic conference, emphasising that increasing births was "crucial" for Russia’s future.
To combat this trend, Mr Putin has introduced various initiatives, ranging from providing free school meals for large families to reinstating Soviet-era "hero-mother" medals for women who bear 10 or more children.
“Many of our grandmothers and great-grandmothers had seven, eight, and even more children,” Putin said in 2023. “Let’s preserve and revive these wonderful traditions.
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