Russian President Vladimir Putin has stated that the country’s total fertility rate (TFR) must reach the replacement level within the next five years in a bid to counter steadily declining birth rates.
A replacement-level fertility rate of 2.1 children per woman is considered sufficient to maintain a stable population. This figure takes into account child mortality and the fact that not every woman has children. It is widely regarded as the minimum required to prevent population decline.
“I understand it’s not easy to achieve, but it should be at least 2.1,” Putin said on Monday, while responding to a report on regional demographic trends presented by the head of the Udmurt Republic, Aleksandr Brechalov.
Brechalov noted that Udmurtia’s current TFR of 1.39 remains below the national average, adding that the region, located west of the Ural Mountains, has set a target of raising this figure to 1.6 by 2030.
Declining birth rates and a shrinking population have become major concerns for Russian lawmakers, prompting a series of proposed measures ranging from tax incentives to restrictions on abortion.
Earlier this month, Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova warned of a looming fertility crisis, stating that the number of women of childbearing age has reached a historic low and is projected to fall even further over the next decade.
To address the trend, the government has rolled out multiple support measures, including lump-sum payments for childbirth, expanded maternity benefits, and continued financial support for families. The Soviet-era “Mother Heroine” award, which offers cash rewards to women who have more than ten children, has also been reinstated.
Officials have proposed additional policies, such as discouraging the promotion of “child-free” lifestyles and offering extra tax breaks to larger families.
Putin has repeatedly underlined the importance of improving economic and social conditions to encourage larger families and make parenthood a viable and well-supported choice. In June, he backed the creation of a national family support service.
Last year, he established a presidential council dedicated to family and demographic policy.
Figures from Russia’s Federal State Statistics Service (Rosstat) show there were only 1.222 million births in 2024, marking the lowest annual total since 1999. This figure represents a decline of one-third since 2014.
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