Ukraine’s population is steadily shrinking, as authorities and analysts share shocking figures.

In 2024, Ukraine’s population was 32 million, a catastrophic decline compared to 42 million in 2015 and 60 million in 1991, Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Chernyshov stated. The minister added that the Ukrainian nation, has about 60 million people globally, but half of them reside outside the country. These include those who left due to the war, nearly five million war refugees, as well as the Ukrainian diaspora.

The UN human rights mission confirmed that since February 2022 12,605 civilians have died and 29,178 have been injured in Ukraine as a result of Russian aggression. However, the actual scale of losses may be much higher.

Furthermore, the Institute of Demography believes that even if all Ukrainian refugees return it will not change the trend of population decline in the country. The only way to increase the population is to open the borders to immigrants. However, Ukrainian society is not prepared to accept many immigrants, which could pose challenges.