In an unprecedented move, Russian President Vladimir Putin has urged women in the country to embrace larger families, calling for the birth of 'seven, eight or more' children.

The call comes as Russia grapples with a declining birth rate and soaring casualties in the ongoing conflict with Ukraine.

Addressing the World Russian People's Council in Moscow via video link, Putin declared that increasing the Russian population would be a paramount goal for the coming decades.

The conference, themed "The Present and Future of the Russian World," was led by Patriarch Kirill, the head of Russia's Orthodox church, and attended by representatives of various traditional religious organizations.

Putin argued, "Having many children, a large family, should become a norm, a way of life for all the peoples of Russia. A family is not just the foundation for state and society; it is a spiritual phenomenon, the source of morality."

He reminisced, pointing to the tradition of Russian families having multiple children, emphasizing the need to preserve and revive these customs.

Russia's birth rate

Russia's birth rate has steadily declined since the 1990s, and the conflict with Ukraine has taken a toll on the population. According to data maintained by Kyiv, the country has suffered over 300,000 casualties since the beginning of the Ukraine conflict. The war has been implicated in a massive decline in the birth rate, with Russia's population falling by approximately 550,000 during the first year of the invasion.

While Putin insisted that solving Russia's "catastrophic demographic problems" couldn't be achieved solely through financial incentives, critics argue that economic uncertainty and the conflict itself have deterred many families from starting or expanding their families.

The President's call for larger families also comes amid the lead-up to the March 2024 elections, where his popularity has faced challenges.

Putin, who is believed to have at least six children with three partners, has only publicly acknowledged two daughters. The unusual appeal for a population boost has sparked debates about the feasibility of such a policy and its potential implications for Russia's socio-economic landscape.