Page 37 - RusRPTJan23

That is the good news, but it does nothing to “improve the catastrophic situation with regard to births and the withering away of the population.” Between October 2021 and October 2022, the number of births fell by 11%. Moreover, the total number of births so far this year – 887,000 – is 8% less than for the same period a year ago, an enormous decline that the fall off in the number of deaths by itself cannot compensate for.
Some blame this on the military operation in Ukraine, forgetting that the number of births at any point reflect decisions nine months earlier. The war may depress birthrates in the future, but it hasn’t had the time to do so yet. Others blame the compulsory covid vaccinations which some think lowered fertility and others that it lowered sexual activity.
The impact of the Russian war in Ukraine is felt clearly by European citizens. Because of the war and its consequences, close to two thirds of EU citizens believe that their life will change (65%), +4pp compared to April/May 2022. At the same time, citizens see the real value of being part of the European Union, with 72% of Europeans saying that their country has benefited from being a member of the EU. Asked about the reasons why their country has benefited, respondents most often refer to the EU’s contribution to maintaining peace and strengthening security (36%, +6pp as compared to November/December 2021). The biggest increases are observed in Latvia (+16 pp), Lithuania (+15 pp), Estonia (+12 pp), the Netherlands (+13 pp), Malta (+11 pp) and Poland (+11 pp) – indicating the effect the Russian war against Ukraine might have had. Among the other reasons given, benefitting from cooperation between EU countries (35%, +3 pp) and the EU’s contribution to the country’s economic growth (30%, =) stand out.
Propaganda! reports that Moscow in response to UN data attributing to Russia 3.9 percent of last year’s 1.5 million new HIV infections (behind only South Africa, Mozambique, Nigeria, and India.)
Russia’s poverty rate decreased to 10.5% on the year in July–September, Russian President Vladimir told the government on Wednesday. “According to the results of the third quarter, the poverty rate decreased to 10.5%... A year earlier in the third quarter it was 11%. The decrease is really small. But it is important that there is a definite positive trend in the current difficult economic situation. We have to maintain the tendency,” he said. He also said that inflation in Russia will go down next year and the government must achieve growth of wages in all fields. Putin called the main task of the authorities to achieve real growth of income, tackle poverty and inequality in the country. Russia Russia’s wages grow slightly above the forecasts and the government should achieve the same dynamics in the state sector, Putin said.
Russian population’s support for its full-scale war in Ukraine is
37 RUSSIA Country Report January 2023 www.intellinews.com