Putin Urged Russia To Take An Example From Chechnya
- 30.04.2026, 13:25
To raise the birth rate.
Russian regions should take an example from Chechnya in raising the birth rate, Russian ruler Vladimir Putin declared. "The birth rate is very good in the republic, this is good. Many other republics and subjects of the Federation should take an example from Chechnya. And if everyone had such a birth rate, we would have no demographic problems and challenges," Putin said at a meeting with the republic's head Ramzan Kadyrov.
According to Rosstat, the total fertility rate (TFR), which reflects the average number of children per woman of childbearing age, has fallen in Russia to its lowest level since the 1990s - 1.374 by the end of 2025. At the same time, the indicator in Chechnya was almost twice as high and became a record among Russian regions - 2.596. Earlier, Putin repeatedly urged Russians to raise the birth rate, to return to the traditions of having many children in ancient Russia and to have 8 children each. During his visit to the Federal Center for Disaster Medicine, he instructed Health Minister Mikhail Murashko to expand checks on the reproductive function of Russians in order to improve the demographic situation.
The birth rate in Russia continues to fall for the 11th year in a row, despite the 4 trillion-ruble Demography national project. In 2024, the number of births of children, according to Rosstat, set an anti-record since 1999. After that, the agency stopped publishing statistics on the birth rate. According to the calculations of demographer Alexei Raksha, in 2025 in Russia was born the minimum number of children since the turn of the XVIII-XIX centuries - 1.178 million. In the first quarter of 2026, 271 thousand babies were born, which is 6% less than a year earlier.
Previously, on Putin's instructions, a demographic strategy of "family-centeredness" was prepared. It envisages an increase in the SCR to 1.6 by 2030 and 1.8 by 2036. As part of the strategy, officials intend to strengthen the institution of family and marriage, as well as promote "traditional family values": images of large families are planned to be introduced in advertising and media content, and state awards will be introduced for grandparents with many grandchildren.