Oct 02, 2024

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a federal law suspending part of the All-Russian Population Census.

According to some sources, this measure is intended to hide Russian society from the demographic impact that the casualties in Ukraine are having on the population.

A tally by independent Russian media outlet Mediazona and BBC News Russian released on September 27 said more than 71,057 Russian soldiers had been confirmed to have been killed, an increase of 1,998 since its last update in mid-September, although an estimate by Kyiv in the same month put the Moscow’s total losses at 649,170.

Newsweek has not been able to independently verify the figures.

The law, effective until January 1, 2029, halts Paragraph 4 of Article 3 of the census law, affecting the frequency of selective federal statistical observations, which traditionally cover a sample of at least 5 percent of the population.

The suspended paragraph had mandated regular surveys as part of Russia’s ongoing efforts to track population changes. However, with this change, it is unclear how Moscow will proceed with population tracking in the coming years.

The suspension was approved by the Federation Council on September 25, 2024. Russian officials have yet to clarify if or how they plan to compensate for the lack of up-to-date population data over the next five years.

Additionally, Moscow’s suspension of this key census component may affect international bodies and businesses that depend on the country’s demographic data for analysis, market strategies, and forecasting. It also adds Russia to a growing list of countries grappling with how to maintain accurate population statistics in the face of financial, technological, and political obstacles.

While the suspension is set to end in 2029, it remains uncertain whether other changes to Russia’s census process will be introduced during this period.

Russia Seizes Key Ukrainian Stronghold

Meanwhile, in a separate development, Ukraine is set to pull out of Vuhledar, a town that has been a critical point of contention between Ukrainian and Russian forces for more than two years.

The town, located on a strategically important hill in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk province, has fallen into Russian hands after intense fighting. Kyiv’s Khortytsia ground forces confirmed the withdrawal to protect military personnel and equipment, stating that Moscow’s forces had launched flanking attacks, which led to a potential risk of troops being encircled.

The loss of Vuhledar holds significant strategic implications for the conflict. The town’s location provides commanding views of critical roads and railway lines, essential for logistical support on both sides. By capturing Vuhledar, Russian forces have not only secured a valuable position, but have also moved closer to Pokrovsk, a crucial logistics hub.

As Ukraine continues to defend key cities and Russia consolidates its control, the geopolitical implications of these developments are far-reaching, affecting not only the immediate region, but also global political dynamics.

https://www.newsweek.com/russia-suspends-population-census-till-2029-1962581