Russian President Vladimir Putin talked about pornography and offered a different way to deal with it. He said that instead of banning it, it would be better to make “more interesting and engaging” content to take people’s attention away from adult material. Putin acknowledged that pornography is a worldwide issue, not just in Russia. He pointed out that banning pornography won't fix the main problem. Instead, he suggested creating content that is more appealing than pornography to make it less attractive.

Bottom of Form

Putin’s comments on Russia’s declining birth rate

Putin’s comments about pornography come after he spoke about Russia’s low birth rate. The current rate is 1.5 children per woman, which is lower than the ideal rate of 2.1 children needed for a stable population. To increase the birth rate, Putin controversially suggested that people should use their lunch and coffee breaks for sexual activities. Last year, he also encouraged Russian families to have more children, even suggesting that some parents aim for eight kids. He pointed to ethnic groups in Russia with large families and encouraged others to follow this tradition.

Population decline concerns for Russia

Russia has been facing a decrease in its population since the 1990s, and the problem has become worse in recent years, especially due to the war in Ukraine. Reports from the independent think tank Re:Russia suggest that about one million people may have left Russia to avoid joining the military. With fewer people working and continuing economic sanctions, there are increasing concerns about the country's future economic stability.