Florence Bauer, regional Director for the Eastern European Central Asian branch of UNFPA, said that the population of Ukraine has decreased by more than 10 million since the Russian invasion in 2014.
In 2014, Russian troops invaded Ukraine for the first time. They occupied parts of eastern Donbas and illegally annexed the Crimean peninsula.
Since then, Ukraine has lost over 10 million people and the number refugees has risen to 6.7 millions. The full-scale invasion in 2022 will only exacerbate the already grave decline.
Bauer, speaking at a Geneva briefing on Oct. 22, said that the birth rate has plummeted to around one child per women. This is one of the world‘s lowest rates.
According to the U.N., the birth rate in Ukraine is now the lowest among European countries.
The majority of the population loss in Ukraine is due to refugees, while war casualties from Russia are also a factor.
Bauer said that it was difficult to estimate the exact number of casualties, but estimates are in the tens of thousand range.
As of January 1, 2024, the population of Ukraine was 37.441 millions. However, further declines are expected over the next few years. According to a U.N. forecast from July, the population could drop as low as 15,3 million by 2100.
Bauer said that the UNFPA and Ukraine have developed a national demographic strategy in partnership. The strategy is based on human capital, rather than simply trying increase the birthrate.
Bauer acknowledged that the end of war is also necessary to achieve population stability.
Russia is facing a demographic crisis of its own, with a projected drop of 7 million people over the next 20 years.
According to the U.N. Population Fund, Ukraine has the lowest birth rate in Europe, and the number refugees has risen to 6.7 millions. The full-scale invasion scheduled for 2022 will only exacerbate the already grave decline.
Zelensky, citing military intelligence, said that two brigades from North Korea, each with up to 6,000 soldiers, are currently being trained in Russia. “We expect the world to respond with a firm and concrete response.”
Kyrylo Budanov, the military intelligence chief, said that he was waiting for the first units to arrive tomorrow in the direction of Kursk. He did not specify the number of units.
The leaders discussed Russia’s conflict with Ukraine, the BRICS agenda and bilateral relations. Putin said that Russia hoped to increase cooperation between China and Russia on “all international platforms”.
“I was not going to do that.” I wasn’t going to replace Budanov. Yes, this information was circulated. Zelensky told journalists that there was no question about Umerov.
In accordance with the decree, within three months, working groups are to be formed to verify disability certificates issued by medical examination commissions. If there are any violations, the certificates will be annulled.
A government official from South Korea claimed North Korea sent fighter pilots in Vladivostok in the Russian Far East.
“I am grateful for the trust of the President of Ukraine and Verkhovna Rada. In this situation, however, I think it’s right for me to step down from the position of prosecutor general,” said he.
According to the draft prepared this year by Italy, the G7 leaders will release a joint declaration in October saying “Russia’s assets will remain frozen until Russia ends its aggressive behavior and pays for damage it has done to Ukraine.”
Zelensky, in a conversation with journalists, did not exclude the possibility that “some partners” might consider Ukraine’s NATO membership in exchange for occupied territories. “We don’t discuss this,” he said.
Zelensky, who was speaking at a Kyiv Independent-sponsored meeting, was asked about Pyongyang’s growing support for Moscow. In recent days, it is reported that the support has gone from weapons to boots on ground.
Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, said that Washington also plans to provide $800 millions as a first tranche for the manufacture of Ukrainian drones.
BRICS is a grouping of emerging economies that includes Russia, China, India and Brazil.
This is Pyongyang’s first public response to multiple reports from Kyiv or Seoul about such a deployment.
The loan will go towards Ukraine’s military expenditures. Kyiv can invest in key equipment for fighting Russia, including artillery, air defence, and wider equipment support.
The Air Force reported that Ukrainian forces destroyed 46 of 60 Shahed drones launched overnight by Russia.
A government source told South Korean news agency Yonhap that, “While watching for signs of North Korea and Russia military cooperation, response measures will be taken step by step.”
Russian local authorities claim that Ukrainian drones attacked four Russian plants, including three distilleries, overnight on October 22, including in the oblasts of Tula, Tambov, and Voronezh.
In an interview with Wladyslaw Bartoszewsk, Polish Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs on October 21, Wladyslaw T. Bartoszewsk stated that Warsaw wants to review the classified additions made to Ukraine’s recent victory plan presented by President Volodymyr Zelensky.
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