Russia has established a “demographic special forces” unit to address the country’s declining birth rate, according to Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matvienko. This initiative involves various officials and experts proposing measures to encourage larger families and promote traditional family values.

The Presidential Council for the Implementation of State Demographic and Family Policy is focusing on “family centricity,” with Matvienko highlighting that each department can identify the deputy minister responsible for birth rate issues. The council’s composition, approved by Vladimir Putin, includes 39 members tasked with preparing a “radical demographic shift.”

Proposals to boost the birth rate range from corporate initiatives to constitutional amendments. Matvienko has called for businesses to adopt “corporate demographic standards” and for the government to assist families in relocating to rural areas. She also co-authored a law banning the promotion of childfree lifestyles, linking the movement to Western feminism.

Other council members have suggested various measures. Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova proposed requiring parental consent for abortions for adolescents aged 15–18 and renaming the pregnancy termination sheet to a pregnancy preservation sheet. Abbess Xenia advocated for amending the Constitution to recognize an embryo as a subject of law.

Outside of the council, regional initiatives mirroring the federal efforts have emerged. The Governor of the Nizhny Novgorod Region, Gleb Nikitin, announced a “demographic special forces” unit offering pre-abortion counseling services to women considering terminating their pregnancies. This initiative aims to provide support and encourage women to preserve the “emerging life.”