UN: Ukraine’s population decreased by 10 million since Russia's invasion

The UN Flag. Photo: ipress

Since the onset of Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukraine's population has decreased by 10 million people, accounting for about a quarter of the total population. This decline is attributed to the outflow of refugees, a drop in birth rates and wartime losses, stated Florence Bauer, head of the Eastern Europe Office of the UN Population Fund, reports Reuters.

Speaking at a press conference in Geneva, Bauer noted that the invasion, which began in February 2022, has exacerbated an already challenging demographic situation in the country. "The birth rate has sharply declined and now stands at about one child per woman, one of the lowest figures in the world," she said. A stable population requires a birth rate of 2.1 children per woman.

The largest contribution to the population decline comes from 6.7 million Ukrainians who have become refugees, primarily living in Europe. Military losses have also become a significant factor, although the exact number of casualties remains unknown. "It's difficult to provide precise figures, but estimates suggest the number of victims is in the tens of thousands," Bauer added.

According to data from the Institute of Demography and Social Studies of the National Academy of Sciences, the population of Ukraine was 42 million as of 1 January 2022, and dropped to 35.8 million by July 2024, of which 31.1 million reside in controlled territories.

As reported by the UOJ, the UN estimates that Ukraine's population could shrink to 15.3 million by 2100.

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