The demographic measures that have already been taken in Russia are not enough, and negative tendencies toward lower birth rates persist in the country, President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting of the Council for Strategic Development and National Projects, further articulating system-wide goals for the future.
Putin, notably, began his end-of-year analysis with population, focusing on birth rate figures included in the key performance evaluation. “I will begin with the demographics. The goal was to overcome negative demographic trends and to boost birth rates,” he declared.
A corporate demographic standard was introduced in 2024, which allows for expanding the participation of businesses in achieving demographic goals. Higher birth rates, support for families with children, and longer and healthy lives represent key areas. The concrete aim is to reverse the downward birth rate trend across Russia.
“Obviously, the measures that have already been taken in demographic development are insufficient. Unfortunately, negative tendencies persist, and birth rates continue to decline,” Putin said, explaining there are objective reasons for this development of the situation, including worldwide demographic trends, as well as the current overlapping of Russia’s negative demographic waves from the middle and the end of the 20th century.
“Certainly, external challenges are also affecting demography. At the same time, I’d like to stress it once again: our long-term historical task is to safeguard and enlarge our people, and, despite the current situation, despite the objective difficulties, we must stay true to this goal,” Putin said.
As obtainable now, Russia’s budget for maternal capital in 2026 allocates nearly 567 billion rubles. This amount is approximately 30 billion rubles more than the previous year. The program aims to support about 7.3 million working parents with two or more children, benefiting roughly 11 million children through a family tax payment.
Maternal capital provides significant benefits for families in Russia. It is a form of state support directed at improving the living standards of families with children. Here are the key benefits:
* Financial Support: Families receive a substantial amount of money upon the birth or adoption of a second child or more. As of February 2025, this amount was set at 676,300 rubles.
* Usage Flexibility: The funds can be utilized for various purposes, including improving housing conditions, financing children’s education, contributing to the mother’s pension, and supporting the adaptation of children with disabilities.
* Inflation Adjustment: The amount of maternal capital is indexed annually to inflation, ensuring that its value remains relevant over time.
* Regional Support: In addition to federal maternity capital, some regions offer additional support, enhancing the overall benefits for families.
Despite state-guaranteed support, families are still under serious economic strain; birthrates are not encouraging, as President Vladimir Putin pointed out categorically in his speech during the review meeting of the Presidential Council for Strategic Development and National Projects at the Kremlin on December 8, 2025.
Generally, families with children in Russia can count on a number of payments and benefits, including a single allowance and a one-time allowance for the birth of a child, as well as maternity capital provided through the state budget. Putin, finally, tasked Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and his government to prepare comprehensive solutions and take additional measures to reverse the negative demographic trend.
Comparatively, Russia has a vast territory and huge untapped resources, far larger than Nigeria, whose population stands at approximately 220 million. Several demography reports say Russia has an estimated population of 142 million as of 1 January 2025, down from 147.2 million recorded in the 2021 census. It is the most populous country in Europe and the ninth-most populous country in the world.
