Russian President Vladimir Putin is reported to have launched a new initiative to address the declining birth rate in Russia, according to Metro.co.uk.
This unusual policy encourages citizens to consider having 'intimacy' during work breaks.
Currently, the fertility rate in Russia is 1.5 children per woman, below the 2.1 level needed to maintain the population, as reported by India's Economic Times.
In the plan, Putin stated, "The preservation of the Russian people is our highest national priority. The future of Russia... depends on how many of us there will be. It is a matter of national importance."
The population decline has been attributed to the emigration of over a million young citizens due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Health Minister Dr. Yevgeny Shestopalov is reported to support the idea, dismissing long work schedules as a barrier. "You can have children during breaks," he said in response to concerns about long working hours.
In addition to this policy, other measures are being implemented to boost birth rates. In Moscow, women are offered free fertility check-ups.
MP Tatyana Butskaya has suggested that employers monitor and report their employees' birth rates to increase annual births.
In the Chelyabinsk region, women receive financial incentives for their first child, and access to abortion is restricted.
There are also high divorce fees, and public statistics and church leaders promote large families.
President Putin has also ordered an expansion of the Russian military. He plans to increase the number of soldiers by 180,000, bringing the total number to 2.38 million, with 1.5 million active personnel.
This move follows an earlier increase in troops since the start of the Ukraine invasion in 2022, aiming to strengthen national security.
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