The kremlin has acknowledged that the war and economic turmoil have significantly reduced birth rates in russia. This statement was made by putin's press secretary Dmitry Peskov, as reported by "The Moscow Times" on July 26.
"The birth rate is at a frighteningly low level - 1.4, which is catastrophic for the future of the nation. We live in the largest country in the world, yet there are fewer of us every year", - Peskov said.