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Transcript/Script((PLAYBOOK SLUG: RUSSIA BIRTH RATE
HEADLINE: Ukraine War, Economic Uncertainty Cause Russia’s Birth Rate to Plunge
TEASER: Russia faces its biggest demographic crisis in recent history, with drastic fall in births that reflects the fear many Russians have about starting a family in an uncertain economic and political landscape
PUBLISHED AT: 1/30/24
BYLINE: VOA MOSCOW BUREAU
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: MOSCOW
VIDEOGRAPHER: Ricardo Marquina, Agency
VIDEO EDITOR:
SCRIPT EDITORS: LR, DLJ
VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA Original, REUTERS.
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _X_ RADIO __
TRT:
VID APPROVED BY:
TYPE: TV/R
EDITOR NOTES: Jonathan Spier narrates English version; DO NOT PUBLISH RICARDO’S NAME FOR SECURITY REASONS; edited script to marquina.ricardo@gmail.com & jspier@voanews.com))
(INTRO)) [[Russia is facing the biggest demographic crisis in its recent history, a drastic drop in births that reflects the fear that many Russians have about starting a family in an uncertain economic and political landscape. Jonathan Spier narrates this report from the VOA Moscow Bureau.]]
((VIDEO: Neonatal ward of the Ulyanovsk hospital, Russia ORIGINAL VOA))
((NARRATOR))
Ten years ago, two million children were born in Russia each year. In 2023, official data says only one million 200 hundred thousand were born, the lowest number since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
((VIDEO): Children on the streets of Moscow, urban scenes. ORIGINAL VOA))
((rrNARRATOR))
These numbers indicate many Russians are thinking twice before deciding to start a family. As sociologists see it, a number of elements contribute to this situation.
[[RADIO VERSION: Moscow sociologist Anton Orekh says that in general, the economic situation has worsened, and he says people’s standard of living has dropped. To raise a child, Orekh says, a people must have confidence in the future.]]
((Anton Orekh, Sociologist - MAN IN RUSSIAN - ORIGINAL VOA))
“In general, the economic situation has worsened, and people have begun to live worse, and to raise a child you have to have confidence in the future.”
((VIDEO Militarist propaganda on the streets of Moscow, people, children. (ORIGINAL VOA))
Adding to Russians’ pessimistic view of the future is their nation’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. After the start of the war in 2022, pharmaceutical market analysts said the demand for abortion pills in Russia jumped by as much as 60 percent.
The Kremlin has discouraged reporting on Russia’s demographic crisis, but independent reporters and analysts point to the invasion of Ukraine as a significant factor.
[[RADIO VERSION: Galina Sidorova is with a group called the Community of Investigative Journalists. She says the biggest reason is without question the war. She said it is the biggest reason and she calls it a major crime by President Putin against Russia, the nation, and its people.]]
((Galina Sidorova, Community of Investigative Journalists -WOMAN IN RUSSIAN - VOA ORIGINAL))
((Via Zoom))
“The biggest reason is certainly the war. This is actually the best reason and very likely Mr. Putin's major crime against Russia, against this country, against its people.”
((VIDEO Kremlin, Moscow streets, people, children. (ORIGINAL VOA))
((NARRATOR))
The falling birth rate has prompted authorities to come up with plans to aid families. At the same time, in several regions of Russia, access to abortions in private clinics has been banned.
The Kremlin has also embarked on a strategy to promote large families.
((VIDEO: XXV congress of the World Russian People’s Council - REUTERS))
[[RADIO VERSION: In a videoconference address to the World Russian People’s Council last year, Russian President Vladimir Putin called on people to remember what Russians families were like before. Many Russian grandmothers and great-grandmothers, he said, had seven or eight children, even more. Putin said Russians should take back and promote what he described as those fantastic traditions.]]
((Vladimir Putin, Russian President - MALE IN RUSSIAN - REUTERS))
“Remember what Russian families were like before. Many of our grandmothers and great-grandmothers had seven or eight children, even more. Let's take back and promote those fantastic traditions.”
((VIDEO Kremlin, Moscow streets, people, children. (ORIGINAL VOA))
((NARRATOR))
As some observers see it, these conservative slogans will do little to increase the birth rate as long as Russia remains immersed in war.
[[RADIO VERSION: Sociologist Anton Orekh says that trying to increase the birth rate and participating in an armed conflict are two things that contradict each other.]]
((Anton Orekh, Sociologist - MALE IN RUSSIAN - VOA ORIGINAL))
“They are two things that contradict each other, trying to increase the birth rate and participating in an armed conflict.”
((VIDEO Moscow streets, people, children. ORIGINAL VOA))
((NARRATOR))
Statistics suggest that 2024 will be the worst year in terms of births in Russia since the beginning of the 19th century.
Meanwhile, on the Ukrainian front, more than 40,000 servicepeople have already died, according to Western intelligence reports - a figure that analysts say provides a less than favorable outlook for efforts to boost the Russian population.
((For the VOA Moscow Bureau, Jonathan Spier, VOA News))
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