russian court in Sevastopol in temporarily occupied Crimea has fined a local woman 50,000 rubles (approximately $500) for alleged childfree propaganda, according to russian media. This is reportedly the first time such a fine has been issued in either russia, or in Ukrainian territory temporarily occupied by russia, the UK Defense Intelligence reports.
Putin signed the law banning propaganda claimed to be spreading childfree ideology in November 2024. The legislation reportedly imposes fines of up to 400,000 rubles (approximately $4,100) for individuals, and up to 5 m rubles (approximately $51,000) for organizations convicted, in a further expansion of the russian state’s increasingly repressive powers.
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The law is almost certainly intended in part to address the serious demographic problem of russia’s ageing and declining population. This is further accentuated by the emigration of approximately 1.3 million russians since the invasion of Ukraine, including many younger and well-educated coupled with significant russian casualties.
Demographic problems present a long-term structural challenge to russian society and russian economy. The leadership’s attempts to increase birth rates are highly unlikely to arrest russia’s declining population in the short term.
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