What the lack of men means for the country

Berlin Vladimir Putin chose drastic words to describe the dramatic situation in his country. “The demographic development is an emergency,” summed up Russia’s president in front of the assembled political elite on April 21, 2021 in the “Manezh Central Exhibition Hall” in Moscow. Unfortunately, that’s the way things are now. This has to be accepted, one has to admit the fact and do something about it. Finally, Putin’s conclusion: “Saving the people of Russia is our top national priority.”

Almost ten months to the day later, Putin’s priorities, if he ever really set them that way, appeared to have shifted. 200,000 soldiers attacked the Ukraine, and an estimated 300,000 Russians left the country in a first large wave of refugees out of concern about what could happen in the next few months.