The regime needs soldiers. Why does Putin promise ₽1 million for ten children

And the order

Illustrative photo

On June 1, on International Children's Day, Putin suggested reviving the Soviet title "Heroine Mother" in Russia and establishing a monetary payment for such women in the amount of 1 million rubles. ($14,2 thousand at the exchange rate of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, two times less - at currency exchange).

Let us remind you that "Heroine Mother" is the highest title given to mothers of many children, and the name of the order of the same name in the Soviet Union. The rank and order were established by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on July 8, 1944. According to the "Regulations on the title of Mother-Heroine", it was awarded with the simultaneous awarding of the order to mothers who gave birth to and raised 10 or more children, after the last child reached the age of 1 and if the other children of this mother were still alive. The most recent awarding of titles took place in accordance with the Decree of the President of the USSR dated November 14, 1991.

According to Vladimir Putin, "It is good that nowadays the tradition of a large, large family is gradually, step by step, but being revived, that more and more people realize the highest moral and spiritual value of kinship ties and the succession of generations." He noted that "in Russia, one or two children in a family were, rather, an exception - even earlier, in ancient times, but three, four, five children were the norm." The President of Russia assured that "Supporting families with children, protecting motherhood and childhood is an absolute priority for Russia."

Meanwhile, economists write that the more children a Russian family has, the worse its financial situation is and the more difficult it is to maintain a decent standard of living. This, among other things, is confirmed by Rosstat data on household food consumption. In particular, in 2020, the consumption of vegetables and melons was about 91 kg per hour per household member in families with one child, and only 74 kg in families with three or more children. The consumption of fruits and berries in families with one child was 71 kg per hour per person, and in families with three children - 62 kg. Meat consumption decreases from 83 kg in families with one child to 66 kg per person per hour in families with many children; consumption of milk and dairy products decreases from 237 to 203 kg, and fish - from 19 to 14 kg.

At the same time, it is noticeable that families with many children try to compensate for the lack of meat, fish, dairy products and vegetables with bread, pasta and potatoes. So, if a family with one child consumed 83 kg of bread products per household member, then a family with three or more children consumed 89 kg. Potato consumption in families with one child was 51 kg per person per hour, and in families with many children - 53 kg.

In addition, it follows from Rosstat data that the availability of some food products for Russian families with many children is decreasing from year to year. Families with many children, judging by statistics and the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, are clearly malnourished: this concerns, first of all, vegetables, fruits, milk and dairy products, fish, eggs, and meat. But not only. Although large families increase their consumption of cheap bread and potatoes, they undernourish even these affordable foods.

Earlier, the government admitted that 80% of the poor in Russia are families with children. According to official data, almost every fourth child in Russia (23,6%) lives in a family with income below the 38% subsistence minimum. The maintenance of the child becomes unaffordable due to the catastrophic fall in real incomes, which has been ongoing since 2014. As Tatyana Maleva, director of the Institute of Social Analysis and Forecasting of the Russian Academy of Sciences of the Russian Academy of Sciences, noted: child poverty is dangerous because it forms a "poverty trap." When children grow up in conditions of income deficit, they cannot get a quality education, they have limitations in access to full medical care and social services. As a result, children from low-income families become outsiders on the labor market, they are doomed to low-paid work, and low wages automatically lead to low pensions, and so on.

But Putin does not need Russian children to be able to apply for quality education, high-paying work, etc. The state is flying into the demographic abyss: in 2021, for the first time in the history of the modern Russian Federation, the natural population decline reached 1,04 million people — the last time the figure approached this level was in 2000, when Putin was first elected president.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Russia took the unprecedented first place in the world in the number of deaths per 100. population, and now Russians are dying in the war unleashed by Putin. As of June 2, about 30,8 people died. Russians, the number of wounded, contused and traumatized runs into hundreds of thousands. Taking into account the fact that the West is increasing the supply of weapons to Ukraine, Russia will soon run out of soldiers.

Meanwhile, 48% of Russian women aged 18–45, among those who in principle allow the birth of children, do not plan to give birth in the next 5 years; another 21% had trouble answering; 2% did not want to answer the question. How found According to the All-Russian Center for the Study of Public Opinion (VCIOM), only 29% of Russian women plan to have a family. Among those who refused, 39% referred to the fact that "material situation/housing conditions do not allow"; 38% of Russian women said that "no stability in life / negative political situation in the country"; ten% - "there are already children"; ten% - "the age is not the same"; ten% - "there are health restrictions"; ten% - "I don't want children at the moment"; 9% of female respondents are sure that the birth of a child "will hinder career."

And the promise to distribute 1 million rubles. giving birth to 10 (!) children will not improve the situation. How do the Russians themselves comment on the news? "Alconauts and drug addicts give birth to pioneers."

Actually, this is good for Putin.

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Vera Perovskaya