Russia’s population of 146 million people is not enough to fill the nation’s sprawling territory, which covers more than 17 million square kilometers, President Vladimir Putin has said, commenting on a series of demographic issues he said his country is facing, including a recent rise in mortality.
Speaking to journalists as part of his annual press conference on Thursday, the Russian leader touched upon the decrease in life expectancy that came as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, noting that the average age at which people died was 71.5 last year and fell to 70.1 this year.
“From both a humanitarian and geopolitical perspective, bearing in mind the people of the country – 146 million for such a vast territory is absolutely insufficient,” the head of state said.