Ukraine"s population has decreased by 10 million due to the war

Ukraine's Population Decreased by 10 Million People During the Full-Scale War

This is reported by Frontliner publication in its analytical review.

According to the study, if at the beginning of 2022 more than 40 million people lived in Ukraine (excluding Crimea), by mid-2024 this figure decreased to 35.8 million, of which 31.1 million are in territory controlled by the Ukrainian government. Thus, over two and a half years of military actions, the country has lost about 10 million inhabitants.

The main cause of the demographic decline was mass emigration. According to the publication, approximately 5 million Ukrainians are currently abroad. Poland, Germany, Czech Republic, Italy, and Spain have accepted the largest number of refugees.

Among the citizens remaining in the country, there is a significant imbalance in settlement: eastern and southern regions have become substantially depopulated compared to central and western regions. Millions of residents have left Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, and Kharkiv regions. Despite the fact that the center and west of the country have accepted a large number of internal displaced persons, these regions have also lost part of their population due to emigration abroad.

Regarding losses due to mortality, the publication notes the absence of accurate statistics, but indicates "tens of thousands of military and thousands of civilian" casualties.

"Frontline areas have emptied: mostly elderly people remain. Mortality has increased due to a weakened medical system, as well as stress and exacerbation of diseases. In 2023, about 495 thousand deaths were recorded, which is one-third more than in pre-war years, and there are 280 deaths per 100 births," the publication notes.

The demographic situation is exacerbated by record low birth rates. According to Frontliner, in 2023 only about 180 thousand children were born in Ukraine - the lowest figure in the country's modern history.

"The proportion of children under 18 is 15%, while people aged 60+ already make up 27%. Ukraine is rapidly aging, and new generations are becoming fewer," the article emphasizes.