July 11, 2024

Have Children, or Else


Have Children, or Else
"Dear State Duma, please ban going childfree." RussianLife files

Speaking on a panel in St. Petersburg, Deputy Minister of Justice Vsevolod Vukolov called the decision to not have children an "ideology of an extremist nature."

He said that the Ministry of Justice is preparing bills to prevent the dissemination of information about being child-free. 

This is not the first time Russian officials have tried to prohibit even the discussion of the "non-traditional" choice to not have children. In 2022, Elvira Aitkulova, from Bashkortostan, introduced a bill to the State Duma proposing to classify "child-free" ideology as information prohibited for distribution among minors. The authors of the bill wrote that the "propaganda" of conscious childlessness suggested by proponents of child-free lifestyles "leads to the degradation of public institutions, the erosion of traditional value orientations, and creates circumstances for the depopulation of the population."

Authorities' reactions are clearly in response to the Russia's declining birth rate, as well as to conservative influences on government. 

You Might Also Like

Birth Rate Lowest in Century
  • October 17, 2023

Birth Rate Lowest in Century

The Russian government has predicted that the country's birth rate will collapse to levels not seen since the early nineteenth century
Screws are Tightening
  • April 12, 2023

Screws are Tightening

March has seen a serious tightening of the screws of repression by the Russian regime.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas
October 01, 2013

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.

 
Survival Russian
February 01, 2009

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.

Fearful Majesty
July 01, 2014

Fearful Majesty

This acclaimed biography of one of Russia’s most important and tyrannical rulers is not only a rich, readable biography, it is also surprisingly timely, revealing how many of the issues Russia faces today have their roots in Ivan’s reign.

How Russia Got That Way
September 20, 2025

How Russia Got That Way

A fast-paced crash course in Russian history, from Norsemen to Navalny, that explores the ways the Kremlin uses history to achieve its ends.

The Moscow Eccentric
December 01, 2016

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices
May 01, 2013

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod is a mid-sized provincial city that exists only in Russian metaphorical space. It has its roots in Gogol, and Ilf and Petrov, and is a place far from Moscow, but close to Russian hearts. It is a place of mystery and normality, of provincial innocence and Black Earth wisdom. Strange, inexplicable things happen in Stargorod. So do good things. And bad things. A lot like life everywhere, one might say. Only with a heavy dose of vodka, longing and mystery.

About Us

Russian Life is the 31-year-old publication of an award-winning publishing house that also creates books, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955