Ukraine’s population has decreased by more than 10 million since the beginning of the full-scale war, said the head of the Eastern European branch of the UN Population Fund, Florence Bauer. She emphasized that the population decline has been observed since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, owing to a combination of factors. “The fertility rate has fallen dramatically and is now about one child per woman, one of the lowest rates in the world,” Bauer said. To maintain a stable population, a birth rate of 2.1 children per woman is necessary. Even before the war, Ukraine had one of the lowest birth rates in Europe. The population also shrank as young people left, searching for better opportunities outside of the country. The largest share of Ukraine’s population reduction is accounted for by 6.7 million refugees who currently live abroad, mainly in Europe. War losses also became a critical factor. “It’s hard to give exact numbers, but estimates range from tens of thousands of victims,” Bauer said.