RUSSIA WANTS MORE KIDS

In a bid to increase the country’s birth rate, Russia will soon ban families without children from appearing on TV, and in films, advertisements or textbooks.

The country’s birth rate is at its lowest level in 25 years. The current population is estimated to be about 144 million. That’s 2.5% less than the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of the Russian parliament’s lower chamber said that new laws would, if passed, ban “propaganda” which discourages Russians from having children.

“It is important to protect people, primarily the younger generation, from having the ideology of childlessness imposed on them on the internet, in the media, in movies, and in advertising.”

The proposed law won unanimous backing from members of the lower house. This is the first in a set of three required readings.

“We continue to form a unified legal framework for the protection of children, families, and traditional values.”

Another challenge for the Kremlin is the increase in mortality rates due to the war in Ukraine. Although official casualty numbers are kept secret, it’s believed more than 72,000 Russian soldiers have died during the war.

Image credit: Yahoo