The total combat losses of Russian troops since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, from February 24, 2022, to September 18, 2025, amount to about 1,098,380 people, including 930 yesterday.
As a result of night shelling of the Poltava region and temporary power outages in several sections of the region, reserve diesel locomotives were brought in. One person was injured.
Ukraine's First Lady Olena Zelenska and European Parliament President Roberta Metsola visited a school in the Kyiv region to see the cafeteria and kitchen facilities that were refurbished with funding from the Ukraine Facility program.
Fighters of the 15th Mobile Detachment "Steel Border" of Ukraine's State Border Guard Service used drones to destroy a Russian shelter and antenna in the Kursk sector.
A Ukrainian Armed Forces major has been convicted of high treason and sentenced to 15 years imprisonment with property confiscation for collaborating with Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB).
The Lviv Railway Court verdict doesn’t name the convicted officer, but Zaxid.net identified him as Major Yuriy Lavryk. His case matches the July announcement from Ukraine’s Security Service and Prosecutor General’s Office about capturing an FSB operative embedded in the Ukrainian Air Force.
Lavryk filmed Ukrainian military positions from inside his own base in western Lviv and handed the videos to Russian intelligence, according to the court documents. This information could further be used for drone or missile strikes on Ukraine.
Recruited through his wife who sided with occupiers
The recruitment came through family. Lavryk’s ex-wife lived in Melitopol, southern Zaporizhzhia Oblast, when Russia invaded in February 2022. She sided with the occupiers and agreed to work with them. Russian FSB operatives used her as their bridge to Lavryk.
From his position at the Lviv military unit, Lavryk recorded personnel locations and equipment deployments. Each video went to his former spouse, who passed the intelligence to her Russian handlers.
Buys phone cards to build Russian spy communication inside Ukraine
But Lavryk’s work extended beyond gathering military secrets. He purchased multiple Ukrainian mobile phone starter packs, activated them in Lviv, then provided the numbers to FSB operatives through his ex-wife. The phones gave Russian intelligence a communication network inside Ukraine.
Investigators found more than espionage equipment when they searched Lavryk’s Lviv residence. He had stored a Kalashnikov AKS-74U assault rifle and 30 rounds of ammunition—illegal weapons that added another charge to his conviction.
Lavryk admitted his guilt under three articles of Ukraine’s Criminal Code:
high treason
conspiracy
illegal weapons possession.
The 15-year sentence includes complete property confiscation.
It’s another blow to Rudy Giuliani’s withered wallet: A judge has ordered the former New York City mayor to pay $1.36 million in legal fees he racked up during investigations into his efforts to overturn President Donald Trump’s 2020 election loss
On the sidelines of the 69th International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) General Conference, Ukrainian Energy Minister Svitlana Grynchuk met with the permanent representatives of EU countries to the IAEA.
The Defense Procurement Agency of Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense, at the request of the military, has made its first major procurement of 1,000 tactical mobility vehicles through the Prozorro system.
Today, the biggest news comes from the Kupiansk direction, Kharkiv Oblast.
Here, Belarusian volunteers fighting for Ukraine are hammering Russian positions and dismantling their staging grounds. Ideologically opposed to Russia’s invasion and morality, they are taking expert advantage of weak spots that appeared after Russian generals recently grossly misallocated their resources.
At Kupiansk, Ukrainians continue to hold the line with commandos of the Ukrainian intelligence directorate forming a formidable part of the defense, and standing beside them, integrated into the unit, is the Belarusian Volunteer Corps.
While there are many groups of Belarusian volunteers, this unit is integrated into and has received special forces-level training from Ukraine. They do not operate alone, instead acting as support elements for deep special forces raids, sabotage, and reconnaissance missions, as well as a number of teams conducting these operations themselves.
For one of these missions, Belarusians in the mortar unit of the volunteer corps modified and specialized their rounds for a specific purpose. Combining a napalm-like substance with thermite flakes, these incendiary shells were meant to burn away forest cover, force Russians out of their dugouts into the open, and create a massive, long-lasting distraction.
A screenshot from the RFU News – Reporting from Ukraine YouTube video.
Geolocated footage shows these rounds landing in streaks on a small forest near the settlement of Kindrashivka, the napalm-like substance holding the incendiary thermite flakes together burning at over 2,000 degrees Celsius or 3,600 Fahrenheit.
A screenshot from the RFU News – Reporting from Ukraine YouTube video.
The mission was to hold an active defense in front of Kindrashivka, as Russian infiltrators have regularly tried to establish a foothold here. The forest is linked to the settlement by a narrow series of tree lines through which Russian infantry move under the cover of darkness, after gathering first in the forest.
However, the fires raining down on them distracted the Russians and flushed them out of their hideouts. Reportedly, they were then engaged from behind by a special forces raiding party that cleared the forest of Russian soldiers.
The Belarusian operation here was a direct result of problems caused by Russian commanders themselves. Recently, amidst stalling progress at Kupiansk and eager to report success, another classical flag planting operation was launched; however, this one made the mistake of reporting successes far beyond what was believable.
A screenshot from the RFU News – Reporting from Ukraine YouTube video.
Russian soldiers were forced to move into Kupiansk in civilian clothing to prevent Ukrainian interdiction, before unfurling flags all the way in the center of the town. Proudly satisfied they could publish footage proving the Russian capture of half of the town in a single day, Russians shared the footage across social media, which was then promptly tracked and geolocated by the Ukrainian 10th Army Corps.
Discovering every single one of these infiltration groups, the Russian pretenders were quickly dispatched by FPV drone strikes and elite forces going door to door. The Russian tricolors were taken as trophies, while Russian military analysts were forced to admit that commanders had sent in these soldiers to die for an information victory that only lasted a couple of hours.
A screenshot from the RFU News – Reporting from Ukraine YouTube video.
While not only a suicide mission for the Russian soldiers involved, the operation was a gross misallocation of Russian resources across the Oskil River. The wasteful throwing away of dozens of soldiers’ lives left Russian soldiers fighting the actual battle without reinforcements; a situation lasting several days due to the difficulty of fording troops across the heavily monitored river.
The Belarusian operation of destroying a Russian staging ground was only a part of the Ukrainian response, as combined Ukrainian forces across the entire Russian bridgehead took advantage of the Russian miscalculation.
Notably, Russian commanders tried to salvage the situation with yet another flag planting operation, this time sticking the Russian flag to the Kupiansk Television mast with drones and a magnet, enraging Russian military observers who, in response, called for the complete purging of the command and leadership of the Russian Sixth Army.
A screenshot from the RFU News – Reporting from Ukraine YouTube video.
Overall, Russian commanders made a gross mistake, leading to the deaths of dozens of their fighters, leaving Russians fighting the actual battle for Kupiansk understaffed and without reinforcements. Taking advantage, Ukrainians cleared out Russian staging grounds, as Belarusian volunteers showed highly adaptive skills, creating explosives tailored specifically for the mission at hand.
As the Belarusian force trained in the ways of Ukrainian special forces numbers approximately 300 soldiers in the Kupiansk direction alone, these motivated fighters are demonstrating their commitment to the cause and indomitable will to fight against what they consider to be the Russian menace.
In our regular frontline report, we pair up with the military blogger Reporting from Ukraine to keep you informed about what is happening on the battlefield in the Russo-Ukrainian war.
Surrendering to dictator Vladimir Putin is not an acceptable scenario, as it would bring peace neither to Ukraine nor to Europe, and would only embolden him to further aggression.
Real incentives are needed for entrepreneurs to develop businesses in frontline communities, and the Cabinet of Ministers, together with the parliament, continues to work on additional support measures.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has called on Hasidic pilgrims planning to travel to Uman for the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, to take into account that full security for foreign citizens in Ukraine cannot be guaranteed.
Ukraine has already returned 1,625 children home from Russia and the temporarily occupied territories, working in partnership with NGOs and with the help of mediator countries.
President of the UN General Assembly Annalena Baerbock believes the organization's work is essential for people around the world, particularly for Ukraine during the war.
Russia is trying to blame Ukraine for the attacks on NATO. Recently, a video appeared in Lithuania showing “drone debris with Ukrainian writing,” which Russian Telegram channels have been actively spreading, Spravdi reports.
In early July, Polish investigators revealed that wreckage from Russian drones shot down in Ukraine contained 4G modems equipped with SIM cards from Polish mobile operators, as reported by Polish journalist Marek Budzisz. Later, a SIM card from a Lithuanian operator was also discovered in another drone. Analysts say the findings directly point to Russia’s preparation for drone incursions into NATO airspace, as Moscow tested mobile network connections in advance.
Fact-checkers at Ukrinformconfirmed that the clip was professionally edited, with rapid scene changes, unlike amateur footage, indicating it was staged.
Fakes come alive on screen
The original video came from the TikTok account katelynltu, created specifically for this post. The account’s avatar is also used by other fake profiles, confirming its bot status.
Stefanov on the stage of lies
In reality, the video is a Russian propaganda fabrication aimed at distracting from Russia’s real attacks on NATO countries.
Russian propagandist RT correspondent Oleksii Stefanov, previously expelled from Latvia for propaganda, appears in the clip, confirming the action was planned.
Sky under attack
Since late July, Russia has regularly carried out drone attacks on the Baltic states and Eastern Europe. Lithuania confirmed that drones deliberately violated its airspace, while Poland and Romania were also targeted by Russian drones.
Similar fakes are actively spreading in Poland and Romania, undermining trust in information about actual strikes.
On 10 September, Russian drones violated Polish airspace. The incident prompted Polish aviation to scramble and temporarily shut down airports in Warsaw, Lublin, and Rzeszów amid fears of a wider attack. NATO advanced fighter jets shot down at least four of the reportedly 19 drones that crossed into Poland.
As the war grinds on, Ukraine needs hundreds of billions of dollars. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that if the war continues into 2026, the country will lack $120 billion annually to finance defense and recovery.
The Kremlin continues to reject all US proposals to end the war in Ukraine that do not concede to Russia’s full demands, which are regime change and significant territorial concessions and russification, while reiterating calls to eliminate the so-called “root causes” of the war. Meanwhile, the US President Donald Trump administration has not approved any aid package for Ukraine or imposed sanctions on Moscow.
Half of this sum—$60 billion—comes from Ukraine’s budget, while another $60 billion must be secured from other sources, primarily Western partners.
The cost of war for Ukraine
“During the war, the cost of this conflict for one year amounts to $120 billion,” Zelenskyy stressed during a joint briefing with European Parliament President Roberta Metsola in Kyiv.
He added that Plan A is to end the war, while Plan B is to secure $120 billion in funding.
Daily expenses and reliance on partners
Earlier, Chief of the General Staff Andrii Hnatov noted that Ukraine spends about $172 million per day fighting Russia.
The country cannot sustain such costs with its own resources alone, making Western financial support critical, Novini.Live reports.
Russia’s unwillingness to end the war
Despite phone calls from US President Donald Trump to Russian leader Vladimir Putin and his invitation to a summit in Alaska, Russia shows no intention of halting its aggression.
This underscores the need for Ukraine to secure stable and predictable funding for the coming year.
Previously, Reuters reported that Poland, under an EU program, will receive €43.7 billion to strengthen its defense capabilities within the Security Action for Europe initiative. At the same time, Ukraine is sometimes attacked by up to 700 drones in a single night.
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola stated that the European Parliament has not yet determined its response to Russia’s withdrawal from the Convention for the Prevention of Torture, but condemned any abandonment of international obligations.
The European Parliament Office in Ukraine will be headed by Maximilian Shroeder, whose main role will be to facilitate the European Parliament’s ongoing support for Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada.
Children living under constant threat are finally safe. Ukraine’s humanitarian program, Bring Kids Back UA, has evacuated 16 children from Russian-occupied territories.
Russia’s treatment of Ukrainian children during the war has been brutal. Since the full-scale invasion in February 2022 through the end of 2024, at least 654 children have been killed and over 2,158 injured, not including Mariupol, where, reportedly, more than 100,000 civilians were killed.
They are now in Ukraine, receiving psychological support, restoring documents, and taking their first steps toward a peaceful life, according to Andrii Yermak, Head of the Presidential Office.
The program, initiated by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in 2023, aims to return all Ukrainian children abducted by Russia. To date, 19,546 children have been stolen.
Tragedies endured by the children
Among the rescued is a 15-year-old girl who escaped occupation with her aunt after her parents and older brother were sentenced on fabricated charges. Two sisters, aged 14 and 7,lost their home and belongings in a fire that completely destroyed their house.
Another 15-year-old girl stayed indoors for nearly three years, living in fear of the occupiers taking her children. A 10-year-old boy was targeted by the occupation’s “care service,” which tried to seize him from his parents.
Returning to safety and a new life
“All of them are now safe in Ukraine. Due to the Save Ukraine team and partners for helping rescue these children. We are fulfilling the President’s mission to bring all Ukrainian children home,” said Yermak.
Russian indoctrination in occupied areas
Earlier, the Ukrainian Center for Countering Disinformation reported that in Russian-occupied Donetsk, schools have been holding so-called “patriotism lessons” since autumn.
According to Denis Pushilin, the head of the occupation administration, Russian soldiers teach children about their “combat path,” instilling a war cult, erasing Ukrainian identity, and preparing them for future Kremlin military campaigns.
The Ukrainian partisan movement “ATESH” dealt a major blow to the Russian army’s rear lines. The underground group has carried out sabotage on a railway near Yekaterinburg, roughly 2,087 km from Ukraine, completely paralyzing the movement of trains along Russia’s strategic routes.
The “ATESH” movement operates in temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine and also Russia. It was founded in 2022 in response to Russia’s all-out war. Crimean Tatars, Ukrainians, and even Russians who were mobilized into the Russian army but now work for Ukraine are involved in the group, providing intelligence on enemy positions, depots, equipment, and personnel.
This hub suppliedammunition, armored vehicles, fuel, and personnel to the frontlines, factories, and depots in the north and east.
“Now, military depots are idle, dealing a blow to the Russian rear logistics,” says the group.
Strikes at the heart of Russia’s war machine
“Our agent sabotaged the railway near Yekaterinburg by damaging relay equipment. This disrupted train traffic across all strategic directions,” the movement reports.
Scope of destruction in the Ukrainian infrastructure
At the same time, Russia’s war against Ukraine has damaged or destroyed nearly 11,000 km of railway tracks and over 43 stations.
As of 2025, the direct infrastructure losses in Ukraine are estimated at around $170 billion, with transportation alone accounting for roughly $38.5 billion.
President Volodymyr Zelensky held a meeting with European Parliament President Roberta Metsola. The key topics of discussion included Ukraine’s EU membership, strengthening sanctions against Russia, and the construction of shelters.
Russia has suffered catastrophic losses and can no longer launch major offensives. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that after the summer offensive campaign, Russian forces no longer have the resources for large-scale attacks, UNIAN reports.
There were fears that Russian troops could rapidly capture Sumy after Ukrainian forces retreated from the Kursk Oblast. But that did not happen. At the same time, Russia has concentrated 100,000 troops in the Pokrovsk direction, larger than some NATO states’ entire troops. Ukrainian forces are suffering the heaviest losses there, but they continue to hold the line, even with no military aid from US President Donald Trump’s administration.
Four Russian offensive directions
“Russia selected four main directions according to all documents and intelligence data. We only didn’t know the sequence, but it happened:
Russian forces were defeated in the Sumy direction and had to redeploy to other fronts.
“They suffered heavy losses, primarily personnel. Today, they have abandoned this direction and shifted their resources and troops elsewhere. I believe they incurred even more losses there,” Zelenskyy says.
No more large-scale offensives
Thanks to the successful actions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Russian troops have lost enough personnel to prevent them from conducting major offensives.
“At this point, they do not have sufficient forces for mass operations,” Zelenskyy stresses, noting that details of the losses will be published in the coming days.
The Pokrovsk sector became a true trial for soldiers of the 92nd Assault Brigade: a group of Ukrainian troops found themselves fully surrounded by the enemy — cut off from communications, wounded, and under constant shelling. Despite this, they held out for 12 days and managed to break free.
The capabilities of Ukraine’s agri-food sector have been first presented in Washington as part of the Taste Ukraine initiative. Its goal is to expand business presence abroad and help promote Ukrainian products and innovations in global markets.
Ukrainian Nemesis operators destroyed three high-value Russian air defense systems in a month. The fighters, part of the Ukrainian Unmanned Systems Forces (SBS), reported on the successful operation via social media, emphasizing that innovative technologies were used to strike the targets.
Destroyed systems and their value
“We burned three enemy air defense installations worth $80–90 million,” the statement reads.
In August, the 412th Nemesis Regiment’s soldiers took down two Tor-M2 SAM systems, a Buk-M3 launcher, and the radar of a Buk-M2 system, which is known as “chupa-chups.”
The Ukrainian Nemesis operation. Source: Nemesis
Tor-M2 and Buk: capabilities
Tor-M2 is a Russian short-range surface-to-air missile system designed to protect military and strategic targets from aircraft, helicopters, drones, cruise, and ballistic missiles.
Its engagement range is 12–15 km, altitude up to 10 km, and targets moving at speeds up to 1,000 m/s. The system carries 16 9M338K missiles and can simultaneously engage four targets out of over 40 detected.
The Buk is also a Russian medium-range SAM system capable of destroying aerodynamic aerial targets, tactical ballistic missiles, and cruise missiles.
The Ukrainian Nemesis operation. Source: Nemesis
Innovations and secret SBS technologies
“The enemy changes tactics, tries to stop us, hides but in vain. Our retaliation always reaches its target,” the defenders noted.
They added that the strike footage remains unpublished to protect their innovative solutions, but promised to release it in the future.
The Russian army continues to shell border districts in three Ukrainian regions daily, actively deploying various types of drones, with the heaviest strikes occurring in the Sumy and Kharkiv regions.
Sixteen Ukrainian children have been brought back from Russian-occupied territories as part of President Volodymyr Zelensky's Bring Kids Back UA initiative.
A Kenyan athlete ended up in Ukrainian captivity after fighting on behalf of Russia. Ukrainian soldiers from the 57th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade captured Evans on the frontlines, where he had been serving with Russian occupiers in Kharkiv Oblast.
There are numerous reports from captured Africans indicating that Russia deceptively recruits Africans to participate in the war against Ukraine. Migrants from African countries are offered work or study in Russia, but upon arrival, they are coerced into signing contracts to serve in the Russian armed forces. Many are sent to the frontlines, often to the most dangerous areas, where they frequently become “expendable” due to high casualties.
The athlete ended up in a Russian military camp under the guise of a “tourist trip” organized by his agent and funded by Russia, after which he was forced to sign documents in Russian and join the military.
When he realized what was happening, he tried to refuse but was threatened with execution. Nevertheless, Evans escaped and surrendered to Ukrainian forces.
How the athlete became a Russian soldier
“Evans is a track and field athlete from Kenya. His sports agent offered him and three other Kenyans a tourist trip to Saint Petersburg, funded by Russia,” reports the 57th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade named after Kostyantyn Hordiyenko.
At the end of the trip, the person accompanying the group suggested that the foreigners stay in Russia and take up work.
“By signing papers in Russian, without understanding them, he unwittingly became a Russian soldier,” adds the brigade.
Harsh training and threats of execution
“Training lasted a week, during which the Kenyan was taught how to handle an automatic rifle. His commanders and instructors did not speak English, so they would often pull or push him to make him follow orders,” Ukrainian troops said.
Evans tried to refuse service but was told he would be executed if he did not comply.
Escape and captivity
“On the way to his first combat mission, Evans escaped. He spent two days wandering through forests near Vovchansk, searching for Ukrainian soldiers to surrender to,” said the 57th Brigade.
This is how the athlete ended up safe in Ukrainian hands, becoming a direct witness to the realities on the frontline.
Skeptical note from the brigade
However, the brigade remains cautious.
“Keep in mind, this is a person who fought on the side of the enemy, so whether to trust his words and tears is left to your discretion,” the brigade states.
Ukraine confronts one of the world’s most severe demographic crises as its fertility rate plummets to 0.8 children per woman—among the lowest globally—while deaths exceed births by nearly three to one, according to government statistics and demographic experts.
Ukraine’s demographic collapse carries strategic implications far beyond its borders, offering a preview of challenges facing European democracies.
As Ukraine fights for survival, it simultaneously grapples with a shrinking population that undermines long-term military capacity, economic reconstruction, and social stability.
The crisis reflects broader European demographic trends accelerated by war, poverty, and uncertainty—factors increasingly relevant to Western nations facing population decline.
Government response meets expert skepticism
Ukraine just raised baby bonuses from 41,280 hryvnias ($1,001) to 50,000 hryvnias ($1,220), paid as a lump sum rather than monthly installments. Additional measures include 7,000 ($170) hryvnia monthly payments for unemployed pregnant women and expanded childcare support.
Nonetheless, demographic experts express deep skepticism about the need for financial incentives to solve Ukraine’s population crisis.
“One should not count on a significant increase in birth rates due to increased social payments for children,” says Iryna Ippolitova, senior researcher at the Center for Economic Strategy, noting that increased payments in 2005 and the “Baby Package” program in 2018 did not cause significant changes in birth rates.
The current payment also has much less purchasing power than the previously tried support mechanisms had. According to the media outlet Hromadske, in 2008, Ukraine paid $2,520 for the first child, $5,155 for the second, and $10,310 for the third and subsequent children.
Today’s 50,000 hryvnia payment equals only $1,220, regardless of birth order.
The math behind Ukraine’s disappearing future
Ukraine’s population has contracted from 52 million at independence in 1991 to approximately 30-35 million today. But that’s not the scary part.
As Hromadske points out, current demographic projections suggest further decline to 25 million by 2050, with pessimistic scenarios reaching as low as 15 million by 2100.
The fertility crisis compounds multiple demographic pressures. Euromaidan Press report from February 2025 shows 495,000 deaths versus 176,600 births in 2024, with some frontline oblasts experiencing death-to-birth ratios exceeding 10-to-1.
The demographic crisis creates cascading strategic vulnerabilities that threaten Ukraine’s long-term viability:
Military capacity: Ukraine already faces critical manpower shortages. Recent policy changes, such as allowing men aged 18-22 to travel abroad, reflect tensions between immediate recruitment needs and long-term demographic preservation.
Economic reconstruction: The government projects labor shortages of 4.5 million people in the coming years. With 80% of income required for housing costs in major cities, young Ukrainians face impossible economic conditions for family formation.
Social sustainability: Ukraine’s pension system overhaul reflects demographic reality—the traditional model of working adults supporting retirees has collapsed as the median age increased from 41 to 45 since 2020.
Ukraine previews Europe’s accelerated decline
What makes Ukraine’s crisis terrifying isn’t just its severity—it’s how familiar the pattern looks to European demographers.
Every European nation except Monaco falls below the 2.1 fertility rate needed for population replacement, but Ukraine shows what happens when a manageable decline accelerates into collapse.
Consider Germany, Europe’s economic powerhouse. Its fertility rate dropped to 1.35 in 2024—the lowest since reunification. The country’s Federal Statistical Office now bluntly states that immigration is “the sole cause of population growth,” as more Germans die than are born.
Italy presents an even starker picture. With a birth rate of just 1.18, the country sees six births per 1,000 people versus 11 deaths. Even France, traditionally Europe’s fertility success story, recorded its lowest birth rate since World War I at 1.62.
But Eastern Europe shows the steepest declines. Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland reported 10-12% drops in births between 2024 and 2025—numbers that would have seemed catastrophic before Ukraine demonstrated what real demographic doom looks like.
Here lies the crucial difference:
European nations use immigration to mask their fertility crisis, while Ukraine hemorrhages population through emigration.
War, economic misery, and housing costs create conditions that could affect other nations during future crises.
Why money can’t fix the baby problem
Ask a young couple in Kyiv about having children, and they’ll show you their rent receipt. A cashier spends 83% of their income on rent alone. A cook uses 57% of earnings just for housing. A barista dedicates 78% of their salary to keeping a roof overhead.
And if young people “don’t understand what tomorrow will bring, then what kind of children can we talk about?” asks Vasyl Voskoboynik, head of Ukraine’s Office of Migration Policy.
Recent surveys show 86% of Ukrainians consider their income insufficient, while 68% feel unsafe, hardly conditions conducive to family planning.
The housing crisis creates impossible mathematics. When working full-time barely covers rent, saving for a larger apartment to accommodate children becomes a fantasy. This explains why 21% of potential parents plan to have children only after the war ends—not because of physical danger but because of economic impossibility.
Beyond economics, Ukraine experiences the same cultural shifts affecting all developed nations.
Having children increasingly becomes a lifestyle choice among many rather than a social expectation. Life offers alternatives—career advancement, travel, personal fulfillment—that compete with parenthood in ways previous generations never experienced.
War adds another layer of uncertainty. Even couples who planned children before February 2022 now delay decisions indefinitely. The stress, family separation, and unpredictable future create psychological barriers that 50,000 hryvnia cannot overcome.
What Ukraine teaches the West
Ukraine’s trajectory offers uncomfortable lessons for Western democracies managing their own fertility decline.
Despite decades of family-friendly policies—generous parental leave in Nordic countries, comprehensive childcare in France—no European country has restored replacement-level fertility through government programs alone.
Population Europe’s research confirms that there is “no realistic prospect within the foreseeable future of the EU returning to total fertility rates of around 2 from today’s 1.5.”
The war reveals how quickly a manageable demographic decline transforms into an existential crisis. External shocks—economic collapse, social instability, military conflict—can accelerate trends that typically unfold over generations. Under the right combination of pressures, today’s gradual decline in the European population can lead to tomorrow’s rapid collapse.
This creates strategic vulnerabilities that neighbors with ill intent notice. Aging populations struggle to field large militaries, support innovation economies, or maintain social cohesion during crises. Russia itself faces severe demographic challenges, but Ukraine’s crisis demonstrates how quickly declining nations can become targets.
Europe found a simple solution to demographic decline: import young people. Ukraine reveals why that strategy has an expiration date.
But the population numbers tell only half the story. As Ukraine fights for survival on military and demographic fronts simultaneously, Western democracies must consider whether their aging societies can withstand similar pressures while confronting expanding authoritarian threats facing comparable demographic stress.
Kyiv is prepared to provide assistance to Chisinau to prevent destabilization in Moldova amid Russia's attempts to interfere in the country's parliamentary elections.
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