Putin called demography one of the key issues for Russia

Demography is a key issue not only for Russia, but also for many other countries. This was announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin during the "Results of the Year" on December 19.

"The issue is extremely important. It is generally one of the key issues for Russia, but not only for Russia <...> but also for very many countries of the world," the president said.

According to Putin, during the Soviet period the birth rate was 2%, while now it has fallen to 1.41%. He noted the need to raise the rate to 2.1%.

"The number of women of childbearing age has fallen by 30%. Girls are needed, girls. What are we doing to correct the situation? A whole program has been created. We do it all the time, these tools are being improved," the head of state said.

As an example, Putin cited financial support for pregnant women, which continues until the child reaches 18 years of age. In addition, there is maternity capital, a family mortgage with an interest rate of 6%, and a system of support for motherhood is being developed.

"We will be able to say that we are doing something useful when we change the trend and achieve indicators," Putin emphasized.

In July, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted during a meeting with participants of the Festival of New Media that the average birth rate in Russia is at 1.4%. He emphasized that this is comparable to European countries and Japan, and said that the government is doing a great job and implementing a whole set of measures to improve the situation.

The direct line with Vladimir Putin in 2024 is combined with a press conference for the media. The format called "Results of the Year with Vladimir Putin" allows the president to convey his position not only on citizens' issues, but also on the state and world agenda, which is often asked by journalists.

Representatives of Western media and foreign journalists accredited in Russia have also received invitations to the events.

As of the morning of December 19, the number of requests sent to the direct line with the president exceeded 2 million.

The first live broadcast was held in December 2001. By the President's own admission, this event is the most powerful sociological poll, which allows citizens to convey their position and assessment of the country's leadership.

The latest news about the "Results of the Year with Vladimir Putin - 2024" - in the Izvestia story.