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Russia’s population undergoes largest ever peacetime decline, analysis shows
Analysis finds natural population fell by 997,000 between October 2020 and September 2021 – with Covid cited as principal cause
Excerpts:
'He pointed out that birth rates had not decreased over the last year, which indicated the decline was due to Russia’s increased death rate.
Despite widely available vaccines, Russia on Wednesday recorded a new record number of coronavirus deaths, as Russians continue to be sceptical of the Russian-made vaccines, with only a third of the population fully vaccinated.
“I don’t see how the situation can improve given the current trajectory of vaccine hesitancy and a lack of restrictions,” Raksha added.
Raksha said the current demographic decline could be compared to the decline seen between July 1999 and June 2000, when Russia’s population fell by 983,000, following a decade of economic instability, which caused birth rates and life expectancy to crash.'
'Russia’s total population of about 145 million is lower than it was when Vladimir Putin first came to power in 2000.'