Russian women prefer abortion to the pill

Ultrasound and Photo of Prenatal Child file photo

(Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – March 28, 2013 – Svetlana Smetanina, special to RBTH) A recent U.N. study shows that induced termination of pregnancy is still prominent in Russia as one of the most widespread methods of contraception [sic]. As the abortion capital of the world, Russia has some of the most liberal abortion laws ever likely to […]

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Few Russians Want to Identify as Putin Wants Them To, Survey Suggests

File Photo of Crowd of Russians with One Waving Russian Flag

(Window on Eurasia – Paul Goble – Staunton, March 17, 2013 – http://windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2013/03/window-on-eurasia-few-russians-want-to.html) More than 90 percent of ethnic Russians taking part in an online survey do not want to identify as “Rossiyane,” the non-ethnic civic identity President Vladimir Putin has been promoting as the primary self-designator for citizens of the Russian Federation, preferring instead to identify as ethnic Russians […]

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Labor Ministry: Birth Rate Up 10.5% in Russia

File Photo of Crowd of Russians with One Waving Russian Flag

MOSCOW. March 13 (Interfax) – The birth rate in Russia grew by over 10% year-on-year this January. “Some 158,900 babies were born in January 2013 or 15,100 (10.5%) more babies than the year before. That was the highest January birth rate since the launch of the demographic program. Birth rates tend to be lower in the first month of the […]

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Why Russians are sobering up

Shelf of Alcoholic Beverages with Red and White Tape Across It

(Russia Beyond the Headlines – www.rbth.ru – Ben Aris, special to RBTH – March 11, 2013) Russians’ legendary capacity for hard drinking is finally being challenged ­ by a changing work ethic and a Kremlin crackdown. Faced with Russia’s alarming demographic decline, the government is getting serious about tackling the country’s legendary love of strong liquor. This January, stiff new […]

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Reinventing the Babushka Concept

Two Babushkas file photo

(Russia Beyond the Headlines – www.rbth.ru – Natalia Yamnitskaya, special to RBTH – March 7, 2013) A “babushka” used to spend her time babysitting grandchildren and gardening, but today’s retirees are taking advantage of a wide range of opportunities. Olga Kuznetsova, who graces the floor of a dance studio in an elegant dress and heels, can hardly be described as […]

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Russia’s population can increase in 2020-2025 – labor minister

File Photo of Crowd of Russians with One Waving Russian Flag

NOVO-OGARYOVO (Moscow region). Feb 27 (Interfax) – Labor Minister Maxim Topilin said Russia’s population could increase to 150 million people instead of the projected 145 million in 2020-2025. “According to our calculations, we can exceed the projected figure of 145 million by 2020-2025, reaching 147 million people, or, according to optimistic predictions, even 150 million people,” Topilin said at the […]

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Russians getting ever more annoyed about daylight savings abolition – poll

Analog Clock Artist's Rendition

(Interfax – February 19, 2013) The decision to abolish daylight savings time, taken in June 2011 under then-President Dmitriy Medvedev and hotly debated since its implementation, is becoming increasingly more annoying for Russians, a survey by the pro-Kremlin All-Russia Public Opinion Research Centre (VTsIOM) pollster has found, the Interfax news agency reported on 19 February. The poll, posted on the […]

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Why domestic philanthropy isn’t enough for Russian NGOs

Kremlin and Moscow Environs Aerial View

(opendemocracy.net – Michael Allen – February 14, 2013) Michael Allen is a Special Assistant in Government Relations and Public Affairs at the National Endowment for Democracy and editor of the Democracy Digest blog. Writing on oDRussia yesterday [JRL#31], Almut Rochowonski argued that Kremlin’s repression of NGOs could work in their favour by encouraging domestic giving. Her mistake was assuming Russian […]

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‘The Russian People No Longer Exists,’ Russian Nationalist Says

File Photo of Crowd of Russians with One Waving Russian Flag

(Window on Eurasia – Paul Goble – Staunton, February 12, 2013 –  http://windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2013/02/window-on-eurasia-russian-people-no.html) Maksim Kalashnikov, a leading Russian nationalist commentator, says that “the Russian people no longer exists” and that its disappearance as an integral collective threatens the future of the country because there is no one left to defend it against challenges domestic and foreign. In an interview with “Svobodnaya […]

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Population Declines for 20th Straight Year

File Photo of Crowd of Russians with One Waving Russian Flag

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Natalya Krainova – February 7, 2013) The government reported on Wednesday that there were around 2,500 more deaths than births in Russia last year, representing a steep decline in the natural population loss but also a 20th straight year of natural decrease in the country. President Vladimir Putin and other top officials have in recent […]

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Russian population continues to fall

File Photo of Crowd of Russians with One Waving Russian Flag

(Moscow News – themoscownews.com – Aleksandras Budrys – February 6, 2013) The mortality rate in Russia exceeded the birth rate by more than 2,500 people last year contrary to expectations, the press office of the Labor and Social Security Ministry said on Wednesday. Under the government demographic policy to 2025, the country’s population was expected to rise by 100,000 people […]

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In Russia, Valentine’s Day Is for Making Babies

File Photo of Three Babies from pravda.ru

(Bloomberg – bloomberg.com – Kirsten Salyer – February 4, 2013) This Valentine’s Day in Russia, do your patriotic duty and make a baby. That’s the message from President Vladimir Putin, who has invited the trio Boyz II Men to perform in Moscow on Feb. 6 as part of an effort to raise the country’s birth rate. The group will sing […]

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Important to maintain demographic trend, ensure Russian population growth to 145 mln by 2025 – Medvedev

File Photo of Crowd of Russians with One Waving Russian Flag

(Interfax – January 31, 2013) Russia is capable of increasing its population to 145 million by 2025, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said at an expanded government meeting on Thursday. “It is important to maintain the recent upward demographic trend, and ensure sustainable growth in the birth rate, lower the mortality rate and increase life expectancy to 74 years. All that […]

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‘Millionaire’ Doctors Part of Solution to Demographic Problem

File Photo of Russian Expectant Couple with Mother in Hospital Bed

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Irina Filatova – January 28, 2013) A total of 8,000 doctors in Russia became ruble millionaires over the last two years, as the government seeks to attract young specialists to rural areas to upgrade the quality of medical services, Health Minister Veronika Skvortsova said Friday. The government provided 1 million rubles ($33,300) in financial support […]

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Putin: Use Sport to Stem Population Fall

Football - Soccer File Photo

[RIA NOVOSTI] MOSCOW, January 24 (R-Sport) – Sport is a crucial weapon for Russia to fight its demographic crisis by keeping people healthy, President Vladimir Putin said Thursday. Russia’s population has fallen by more than five million since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 as a result of lower births rates and life expectancy, although recent government estimates […]

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Russia Needs Immigrants, FMS Chief Says

Migrant Workers file photo

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Nikolaus von Twickel – January 22, 2013) Russia urgently needs to attract immigrants over the coming years to avoid labor shortages, the country’s top migration officer said Monday. “Even if we manage to stabilize or increase the population by raising the birth rate, the only source for increasing the labor force for the coming 15 […]

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Experts See No Exodus Of Discontented Liberals From Russia

File Photo of Crowd of Russians with One Waving Russian Flag

(RIA Novosti – Moscow, 16 January) On the basis of official statistics, researchers from the Centre of Political Information have made a conclusion that the “liberal panic” in Russia has not led to a mass outflow of “the discontented” from the country. In addition, having analysed the dynamics of migration from Russia to countries other than former Soviet republics, experts […]

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NEWSLINK: Russian birth rate to rise to 1.8 million as New Year rings in

File Photo of Three Babies from pravda.ru

[Russian birth rate to rise to 1.8 million as New Year rings in – Russia Today – Robert Bridge – December 21, 2012 – http://rt.com/politics/russia-demographics-population-babies-crisis-538/] Pro-Kremlin Russia Today reports on an announcement by Deputy Prime Minister Olga Golodets that there have been increases in the Russian birthrate: Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Olga Golodets has announced some optimistic news regarding the […]

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Russians have more confidence in authorities’ ability to make their life better – poll

Duma Session file photo

(Interfax – December 20, 2012) The approval ratings of Russian leaders grew in December after a minor decline in November, Levada Center told Interfax on Thursday. It held a nation-wide poll on Dec. 14-17. The approval rating of President Vladimir Putin stood at 65 percent in December, as against 63 percent in November and 68 percent in September, the sociologists […]

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Diaspora Youths Sold on Russian, but not Russia

Map of Western CIS/FSU and European Environs

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Lena Smirnova – Dec. 14, 2012) Members of the diaspora who gathered in Moscow on Thursday for the Forum of Russian Compatriots welcomed President Vladimir Putin’s recent edict to support remote Russian language-learning amid efforts in their home countries to limit the status of their mother tongue. However, attendees also voiced doubts that the language […]

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Experts Dismiss Population Rise as Momentary Blip

File Photo of Crowd of Russians with One Waving Russian Flag

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Natalya Krainova – Dec. 12, 2012) In his first address to parliament as president on Wednesday, Vladimir Putin is likely to reiterate that improving Russia’s demographic situation will be one of the key targets of his six-year term. Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on Friday praised a first small rise in natural population growth in 20 […]

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Putin Tackles Demographic ‘Crisis’ in Address

File Photo of Crowd of Russians with One Waving Russian Flag

MOSCOW, December 12 (RIA Novosti) ­ Russia risks entering a new demographic crisis unless it acts to capitalize on recent successes, President Vladimir Putin warned on Wednesday. “There should be more of us, and we should be better,” Putin said during his first state of the nation address since being reelected for a third term as president last March. Putin […]

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Medvedev Defends Foreign-Agent Law

File Photo of Dmitry Medvedev with United Russia Logos Behind Him

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Alexander Bratersky – Dec. 10, 2012) In a live television interview, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev expressed support for a range of legislation that critics say is part of a crackdown on the political opposition, including a law requiring certain NGOs to register as foreign agents. But the former president also conveyed liberal positions on several […]

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Russia’s population will stop declining in two years – Medvedev

File Photo of Russian Crowd, with Russian Flag Being Waved

MOSCOW. Nov 29 (Interfax) – Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said Russia’s population may stabilize at the level of some 143 million people in two years. “We can stabilize the country’s population by 2015 at a level of 142-143 million despite the current negative forecasts and increase life expectancy of 74 years by 2018,” Medvedev told the government on Thursday. […]

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NEWSLINK: Russia’s Population is Growing For The First Time Since The Early 1990’s

File Photo of Crowd of Russians with One Waving Russian Flag

(Russia’s Population is Growing For The First Time Since The Early 1990’s – Forbes.com – Mark Adomanis – Nov. 29, 2012 – http://www.forbes.com/sites/markadomanis/2012/11/29/russias-population-is-growing-for-the-first-time-since-the-early-1990s/) Forbes and Mark Adomanis examine the Russian demographic situation: Just to be clear, the fact that Russia eked out a minuscule level of natural population growth does not mean that it is poised to reemerge as a […]

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NEWSLINK: Russia government sets population growth as top priority

File Photo of Russian Crowd, with Russian Flag Being Waved

(Russia government sets population growth as top priority – Itar-Tass – Nov. 29, 2012 – http://pda.itar-tass.com/en/c154/584720.html) ITAR-TASS covers Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev’s comments at a meeting of the Russian government, that the Russian government’s top priority is to stabilize demographic trends and increase Russia’s population: Despite the natural growth of the population, the demography is among the achievements and […]

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Making of Magnitsky List a Murky Affair

U.S. Capitol at Twilight With Washington Monument, National Mall, Washington, D.C., Environs and Sunset in Background

WASHINGTON, November 21 (By Carl Schreck for RIA Novosti) – With the Magnitsky Act moving through the US Congress, American lawmakers are making clear their intent to punish Russian officials deemed by Washington to be responsible for human rights abuses. Less clear is who will end up on this blacklist­and how. The Magnitsky bill passed Friday by the US House […]

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Russia to Stay Raw Materials Based to 2030 ­- Survey

Oil Well file photo

MOSCOW, November 20 (RIA Novosti) ­ Russia’s economy will remain primarily based on raw materials production until 2030, along with the remnants of high technologies like the nuclear and space industries inherited from the Soviet era, Rosiiskaya Gazeta reported on Tuesday, citing the latest forecast by Russian economists. The Global Strategic Survey 2030 was prepared by the Institute of World […]

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Blue skies, clear thinking: Russian democracy in the Cloud

File Image of Stylized Eye Surrounded by Binary Code

(Fyodor Krashenninikov and Leonid Volkov – www.opendemocracy.net – November 16, 2012) Leonid Volkov is protest movement activist and political blogger based in the city of Yekaterinburg. In 2009, Volkov ran for and won a seat on Yekaterinburg’s city council. Together with Fyodor Krasheninnikov he co-authored “Cloud Democracy” published in Russia in 2011. Fyodor Krasheninnikov is political PR consultant, protest movement […]

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Putin Faces Anti-Migrant Tide as Opponents Tap Resentment

Migrant Workers file photo

(Bloomberg – bloomberg.com – Ilya Arkhipov and Henry Meyer – November 7, 2012) Russian President Vladimir Putin’s opponents are looking to take advantage of a dip in his approval rating by latching on to rising anti-immigration sentiment. With the share of Russians wanting tighter immigration rules at the highest in at least a decade, Alexey Navalny, the country’s most-popular opposition […]

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Is the Kremlin Writing off Middle-Aged Russians?

Kremlin and Moscow Environs Aerial View

(Paul Goble – Jamestown Foundation – jamestown.org – Eurasia Daily Monitor: Volume 9, Issue 201 – November 2, 2012) The Kremlin has created a new “agitation and propaganda” (agitprop) administration, which will focus on the elderly, whom the regime hopes to influence or at least keep in its corner now, and the young whom it can only hope to affect […]

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Water Privatization in Russia: More Than a Drop in the Ocean

File Photo of Water Facet with Drop of Water Coming Out

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Luka Oreskovic – November 2, 2012) Without water, humans can only live for a few days. Yet only about 1 percent of the earth’s water is suitable for human consumption. Rising GDP brings increases in demand for food production, including meat, which demands the greatest amount of water. Treating water is therefore a key utility. […]

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Zuckerberg Visit Sparks Brain-Drain Debate in Russia

File Photo of Mark Zuckerberg Gesturing

Bloomberg – bloomberg.com – Leonid Bershidsky – October 3, 2012 – Leonid Bershidsky, an editor and novelist, is Moscow and Kiev correspondent for World View. For Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s visit to Moscow was a great photo opportunity. Some of Russia’s technology entrepreneurs, though, saw it as the latest salvo in a global battle for the […]

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Russia Puts Renewed Hope in Repatriation Program

File Photo of Crowd of Russians with One Waving Russian Flag

By Natalya Krainova – Moscow Times – September 19, 2012 President Vladimir Putin has revised the state’s repatriation program, simplifying the process for former compatriots to move back to Russia and bring relatives along with them. But analysts doubt that the changes will significantly alter migration flows. Earlier this year, the president said that if the demographic decline is not […]

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