In a bold and controversial move, Russian President Vladimir Putin has reportedly encouraged citizens to engage in intimate relations during lunch and coffee breaks at work. This initiative aims to address the country’s declining birth rate, which has reached its lowest point since 1999.

Russia’s fertility rate currently stands at approximately 1.5 children per woman, significantly below the 2.1 rate required to maintain a stable population¹. The ongoing conflict with Ukraine has exacerbated the situation, with over a million, primarily younger Russians, leaving the country.

Health Minister Dr. Yevgeny Shestopalov emphasized that being too busy at work is not a valid excuse for avoiding procreation. He suggested that people could take advantage of breaks to focus on expanding their families, noting that “life flies by too quickly”.

The Kremlin’s efforts to boost the birth rate have led to a series of measures

• Free Fertility Checks: Women in Moscow, aged 18-40, encouraged to undergo free fertility assessments to evaluate their “reproductive potential”.
• Employer Coercion: MP Tatyana Butskaya has proposed a plan to pressure employers into encouraging their female employees to have children.
• Incentives: The Chelyabinsk region is offering financial incentives to female students under 24 for the birth of their first child².
• Restricting Abortion: Limited access given to Public figures and church leaders to abortion, advocating for women’s duty to give birth and raise children.
• Increased Divorce Fees: Fees for divorce raised to discourage separation.

President Putin has stated, “The preservation of the Russian people is our highest national priority. The fate of Russia depends on how many of us there will be. It is a question of national importance”.

The drastic drop in birth rates has raised concerns in Moscow about a severe population decline. According to Rosstat, Russia’s governmental statistics agency, the country has seen a significant decrease in births, with 16,000 fewer children born between January and June 2024 compared to the same period last year. This decline is further exacerbated by an 18% increase in population decline, with 49,000 more deaths recorded in 2024 than the previous year, likely due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine¹.

As Russia grapples with these demographic challenges, the government’s unconventional measures have sparked debate and controversy both domestically and internationally.