Putin’s Unconventional Advice: Have Sex at Work

Russian President Vladimir Putin has recently issued an unconventional suggestion for boosting the nation’s declining birth rate: Russians should engage in sex during work breaks, including lunch and coffee breaks. This measure is aimed at addressing the country’s dwindling fertility rate.

According to a Metro report, Russia’s current fertility rate stands at approximately 1.5 children per woman, significantly below the 2.1 needed for population stability. The ongoing war with Ukraine has further contributed to the decline, resulting in the exodus of over a million, mostly young, Russians.

Russian Health Minister Dr. Yevgeny Shestopalov emphasized that being busy at work should not hinder procreation. He urged Russians to utilize lunch and coffee breaks for family expansion. “Being very busy at work is not a valid reason but a lame excuse. You can engage in procreation during breaks because life flies by too quickly,” Shestopalov was quoted by Metro.

When asked about the practicality of such suggestions for those working long hours, Shestopalov reiterated the importance of utilizing break times. “Make babies during break times,” he said.

The Kremlin has suggested several other measures to boost Russia’s declining birth rate. In Moscow, women aged 18 to 40 are encouraged to participate in free fertility screenings designed to evaluate their reproductive health and potential.

In Russia’s Chelyabinsk region, authorities have introduced a financial incentive to boost the birth rate. Women under 24 are offered 102,000 rubles (approximately 9.4 lakh INR) upon the birth of their first child.

Access to abortion is being increasingly restricted across Russia, with public figures and religious leaders advocating that a woman’s primary responsibility is to bear and raise children. Additionally, fees for divorce have also been increased.

Russia has recorded its lowest birth rate in 25 years for the first half of 2024, according to official data released earlier this month. The figures also revealed that births dropped below 100,000 for the first time in June, marking a significant decline.

Between January and June 2024, a total of 599,600 children were born in Russia, which is 16,000 fewer than during the same period in 2023.

“This is catastrophic for the future of the nation,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said in July, according to news agency AFP. “It [the birth rate] is now at a terribly low level — 1.4 [births per woman]. This is comparable to European countries, Japan, and so on.”