Latest from Russia Today
Russia Today
8 minutes ago
- Politics
- Russia Today
Russian demographer says fewer school years could deliver more babies
A senior Russian demographer has proposed cutting the number of years children must attend school in order to promote earlier parenthood and reverse a national trend towards lower fertility, TASS reports. Sergey Rybalchenko, head of the Public Chamber's Demography Commission, has argued that bold steps are necessary to prevent Russia's population from shrinking. In recent years, the country has seen negative natural population growth, falling from 149 million in 1993 to 146 million in 2025 despite an influx of immigrants and the unification of the country with Crimea in 2014 and four former Ukrainian regions in 2022. The country's population is poised to decrease to 138.8 million people in 2046, according to the base-case scenario developed by the federal statistics agency Rosstat. 'A shorter education period would enable young people to reach adulthood and plan to have children for two years earlier,' Rybalchenko told TASS, explaining the initiative. Getting married and having children at a higher age is linked to a longer period of social maturation, the demographer pointed out. Young people only start to think about children by the age of 27, as they spend 17 years getting an education and dedicate an additional three years to social adaptation after finishing university, he explained. It is possible to cut the number of years spent in school from 11 to 10, so that students can dedicate five years to getting a higher education without sacrificing quality, the expert noted. Students completing 10 grades have demonstrated equivalent knowledge to those completing 11 grades, he said. Russian MP Vitaly Milonov, who is known for his staunch support of 'traditional Russian values' and his vocal opposition to the 'child-free' ideology, said that the idea was underdeveloped. Russians, like many in East Asia, Europe and North America, have begun to postpone parenthood. The average age at which women first had children was 26.2 years in Russia in 2023, according to Health Minister Mikhail Murashko, compared to 23 in 1995. To address the demographic challenge, the government has increased financial incentives for families with children, taken steps to promote traditional family values, and in 2024 outlawed the promotion of the 'child-free' ideology. Russian President Vladimir Putin has previously emphasized the importance of creating favorable economic and social conditions to encourage people to have larger families and increase the birth rate.
Russia Today
8 minutes ago
- Politics
- Russia Today
Trump arms Ukraine. Russia doesn't care
On Monday, July 14, US President Donald Trump announced that he had decided to supply Patriot missile systems to Kiev, with the first deliveries expected in the coming days. The key element of this move lies not just in the type of weapons, but in the logistics behind them. While the deliveries will be formally carried out by Washington, the funding will come from NATO allies. The first batteries will be transferred from Germany, which will later be compensated by new shipments from the United States. In essence, a new mechanism is taking shape: American weapons, paid for with European money. But what does this actually mean in practical terms? Is this a major escalation, a political gesture, or simply a reshuffling of existing commitments? And more importantly, how will this affect the battlefield itself? According to Trump, Ukraine will receive 17 Patriot systems – a statement that immediately raises questions. Most importantly, it's unclear exactly what the administration considers a 'system.' If he meant 17 launchers, that would translate into just three or four full batteries, since each battery includes a radar, command post, and between four and eight launchers. This would not represent a dramatic escalation, but rather allow the Ukrainian Armed Forces to replenish and rotate previously supplied batteries. A more ambitious interpretation would assume that Trump meant 17 full batteries. That would be the single largest delivery of air defense systems to Ukraine to date – several times more than what the country currently fields. While the US has the industrial capacity and inventory to provide this quantity, such a generous transfer would be uncharacteristic of Trump's approach. His goal is to make a visible impact, not to set records. The more plausible scenario is that this is a European-funded replacement for earlier systems that have been damaged or expended. In parallel with the Patriot announcement, details began to emerge about long-range missiles. According to The Washington Post, the Trump administration is considering removing all restrictions on Ukraine's use of ATACMS missiles to strike targets deep inside Russian territory. It's worth clarifying that Ukraine already possesses such missiles. Since 2023, its forces have deployed ATACMS variants with a range of up to 190 km, and since spring of 2024, longer-range versions capable of reaching 300 km. The change lies not in the hardware itself, but in the potential shift in how it can be used. Up until now, Washington has forbidden Kiev from using these weapons to strike internationally recognized Russian territory. According to American press reports, those limits may now be dropped. While this move would entail risks, it doesn't represent a strategic game-changer. Russia's layered air defense network, including the S-300, S-400, and S-500 systems, was designed with threats like ATACMS in mind. While a 100% interception rate is unrealistic, operational experience shows a high level of effectiveness. The threat is real, but hardly decisive. As weapons deliveries ramp up, discussion has turned to heavier strike assets. Military Watch Magazine reported that its sources say the Trump administration is exploring the possibility of transferring US air-launched cruise missiles – specifically JASSM models – to Ukraine, primarily for use with F-16 fighters already in Kiev's possession. The JASSM is a stealthy cruise missile designed to strike heavily defended targets. Early variants have a range of up to 340 km, while the extended-range JASSM-ER versions are capable of flying 740–1000 km. With a 450 kg warhead and low observability, these missiles pose a serious threat – particularly if used against major administrative and industrial centers. In theory, Moscow, Saint Petersburg, and other cities could fall within range. Reports also suggest that the administration may be reviewing the possibility of providing Tomahawk cruise missiles – most likely through the mobile Typhon launch systems, which Ukraine formally requested back in 2024. These subsonic, terrain-hugging missiles have a range of up to 2,000 km and have proven effective in US strikes against targets in Iran and Syria in recent years. Notably, Ukraine isn't the only country showing interest in such systems. Germany has also expressed a desire to acquire Typhon complexes as part of its long-term deterrence strategy. While the theoretical transfer of Tomahawks to Kiev cannot be ruled out, as with the JASSM, such a move would mark a significant policy shift. It would be, by any standard, a revolutionary step – and it is doubtful that President Trump is genuinely inclined to take it. For now, all indications are that discussions remain preliminary and behind closed doors. Should these proposals move forward, Russia's military will respond by adjusting its air defense posture. Denser deployments of surface-to-air systems around industrial centers, capitals, and the front line will be required. Air-based assets may be added to the mix. The threat is being monitored, but it will not go unanswered. Russia not only possesses a sophisticated anti-missile defense network but also extensive combat experience intercepting a wide range of Western weapons. Engagements with Storm Shadow, SCALP EG, and ATACMS missiles have already shown that even complex threats can be effectively countered. While no system offers full immunity, and some missiles may slip through, the idea of 'wonder weapons' shifting the tide of the conflict is a myth. The success of the special military operation does not depend on technological supremacy alone. It is rooted in the integrated use of diverse forces, sustained strategic initiative, and resilience under pressure. No cruise missile – however advanced – can break that foundation.
Russia Today
8 minutes ago
- Politics
- Russia Today
RT journalist interrogated by UK police
The head of RT's Lebanon office, Steve Sweeney, has been detained and interrogated by the British police over his work for the Russian state-funded broadcaster, its editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyan has reported. In a post on her Telegram channel on Wednesday, she said the British journalist had been apprehended on arrival in his home country. According to Simonyan, the UK authorities told Sweeney they 'suspected him of terrorist activities [and] took away all his phones [and] laptop and interrogated at length regarding his work for RT.' 'They asked [the journalist] whether RT management forces him to say what he doesn't want to say [and] whether instructions are being handed down to him,' RT's editor-in-chief detailed. Simonyan also stated that police officers had asked Sweeney whether he has links to the Lebanese Hezbollah Shiite militant group. She said that after the questioning was finished, British officials let the journalist go, noting that 'Steve… plans to continue working for RT.' Sweeney is a seasoned war-correspondent, who has covered hostilities in Iraq among other conflicts. Back in February, the Austrian authorities similarly detained independent British journalist Richard Medhurst, known for his pro-Palestinian stance. The apprehension came months after a run-in with the UK police. Austrian officials told the reporter that he was suspected of 'disseminating propaganda [and] encouraging terrorism,' according to Medhurst's own account of the events. He claimed that the Austrian police might have acted at the behest of their British colleagues. Last October, the UK police raided the London home of an associate editor of the pro-Palestinian Electronic Intifada website, Asa Winstanley, over 'possible offenses' related to his social media posts. Following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022, the UK, the EU and several other Western nations banned RT and prohibited social media platforms from distributing its content, citing the need to combat 'misinformation.' Moscow has argued such actions demonstrate a lack of commitment to free speech and reflect a willingness to suppress narratives that challenge Western viewpoints.
Russia Today
39 minutes ago
- Politics
- Russia Today
Armenia hints it may leave Russian-led military alliance
Armenia will likely quit the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said. Yerevan suspended its participation in the organization a year ago, claiming that it had failed to adequately support the country during its conflict with Azerbaijan, which ended with the forcible repatriation of the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Russia and Armenia were among the former Soviet republics which founded the CSTO in 1992; it also includes Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Russia has argued that the CSTO could not have considered Baku's military operation in the area as aggression against an alliance member, due to Armenia never recognizing Nagorno-Karabakh as its own territory. Moscow also pointed out Yerevan's repeated rejection of the territorial compromise proposals with Baku which were suggested by Russian authorities. Pashinyan said during a press conference on Wednesday that 'regarding the issue of leaving or not leaving the CSTO, I will say that it is most likely that Armenia will leave the CSTO rather than unfreeze its participation.' Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said previously that being in the alliance is a 'sovereign decision' for Yerevan to make. 'The membership in the CSTO brings certain benefits to Armenia… the CSTO is an organization that has repeatedly demonstrated its efficiency,' he argued. Yerevan has become increasingly pro-Western under Pashinyan; during the press-conference, the prime minister reiterated that 'Armenia wants to be a member of the EU,' reflecting a law signed earlier this year indicating this intention. However, he acknowledged that it will be 'a complicated process' as the country would need to meet certain standards and get approval from all member states. Tensions have been high in Armenia in recent weeks following the arrest of two senior clerics of the Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC) and one of its key supporters, Russian-Armenian businessman Samvel Karapetyan. They have been accused of plotting to overthrow Pashinyan's government after urging people to protest the prime minister's decision to hand over several border villages to Azerbaijan. Peskov said last month that Moscow was 'interested in the preservation of law and order in Armenia' and that members of the large Armenian diaspora in Russia have been following the events in the country 'with pain.'
Russia Today
39 minutes ago
- Politics
- Russia Today
Erdogan's chief political rival jailed in Türkiye
Ekrem Imamoglu, the former mayor of Istanbul and a key rival to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has been sentenced to 20 months in prison for insulting a public prosecutor, according to local media reports. The case stems from remarks Imamoglu allegedly made after police raided the home of a youth leader from his opposition Republican People's Party (CHP). The politician reportedly responded by saying that Istanbul's chief prosecutor, Akin Gurlek, had a 'rotten' mind. The verdict was handed down on Wednesday at the high-security Silivri court and prison complex near Istanbul, which often hosts politically sensitive trials. Imamoglu was acquitted of a separate charge of targeting officials involved in counterterrorism operations. The 55-year-old former mayor has been in custody since March, awaiting trial on unrelated corruption charges. He has denied all allegations, claiming the cases are politically motivated and intended to derail his potential bid to challenge Erdogan in the 2028 presidential election. The government insists the judiciary is independent and denies any political interference. Imamoglu was first elected mayor of Istanbul in 2019 and re-elected in 2024. His arrest on March 19, which resulted in his temporary suspension from office, sparked mass unrest across Türkiye. Demonstrators clashed with riot police in multiple cities, including Istanbul and Ankara. Erdogan blamed the opposition for fueling the unrest and accused them of damaging the country's economy. Prosecutors had initially sought a sentence of more than seven years and a ban on Imamoglu holding public office. However, the final sentence fell short of the two-year threshold required to impose such a ban. This is not the first time Imamoglu has faced legal trouble over his remarks. In 2022, he was sentenced to two years and six months in prison for criticizing election board officials who annulled his 2019 mayoral victory. That verdict is currently under appeal. If upheld, it could prevent him from participating in future elections. In March, Istanbul University annulled Imamoglu's diploma, effectively barring him from running for president.
