Demographic development of Russia: dead end or hope? (Demographic notes of a pessimist)

The article considers the main problems of the demographic development of Russia, to which the author refers to the high mortality of the male population of working age, the increase in maternal mortality during covid-19. The author emphasizes the problem of annual fluctuations in infant mortality, despite the general downward trend, while fluctuations are inherent in all regions of Russia without exception: both the most prosperous in terms of GDP per capita and in terms of the development of the healthcare structure (metropolitan regions). This problem, which has not been solved for more than 30 years, as well as the problem of the increase in maternal mortality since 2017, which has intensified during the pandemic, the author refers to the weak state policy, including insufficient funding for the development of the healthcare system; the situation is especially problematic in countryside. To solve this problem, it is necessary to increase the attention in favor of programs for the protection of motherhood and childhood, compared with the financing of programs aimed at stimulating families with three or more children. In Russia there are a number of regions that ensure the reproduction of the population. Therefore, the author proposes to highlight the demographic policy in relation to these regions and largely stimulate the birth rate there. However, the solution to this problem as a whole the author sees only in efforts to stimulate the quality of life and the quality of human capital. In conclusion, migration is analyzed as part of the demographic development of Russia. The author concludes that the guidelines for compensating for the loss of the country's population as a result of depopulation by migration have no real basis.