Putin urges Russians to have more kids, says ethnic survival at stake

Source: Reuters

Putin urges Russians to have more kids, says ethnic survival at stake

Reuters
February 15, 2024 11:59 AM EST Updated 2 hours ago

Feb 15 (Reuters) - Russian families must produce at least two children for the sake of the nation's ethnic survival, and three or more if it is to develop and thrive, President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday.

Russia has suffered heavy but undisclosed casualties since launching its war in Ukraine nearly two years ago, and hundreds of thousands of people have fled the country out of opposition to the conflict or fear of being called up to fight.

Putin told employees at a tank factory in the Urals region that two children per family was the minimum number if the peoples of Russia were to preserve their identities.

"If we want to survive as an ethnic group - well, or as ethnic groups inhabiting Russia - there must be at least two children," he said.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/putin-urges-russians-have-more-kids-says-ethnic-survival-stake-2024-02-15/

Alternate no-paywall link: https://news.yahoo.com/putin-urges-russians-more-kids-174630518.html