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Drudge Retort: The Other Side of the News
Friday, August 15, 2025

For decades, the country has struggled under deeply adverse demographics, with deaths outpacing births and successive waves of mass emigration. Russian officials have tried desperately to mitigate this downward trajectory, but to little avail.

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Nearly 130 small Russian towns are at risk of disappearing as depopulation accelerates and local economies collapse, according to a new government-commissioned study.

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-- The Moscow Times (@themoscowtimes.com) Aug 6, 2025 at 5:53 AM

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"All this, moreover, has been made significantly worse over the past three-plus years by the Ukraine war. The conflict, and the Kremlin's ongoing need for new troops to fuel its fight, has propelled Russians to leave the country at record-breaking rates.

After the Kremlin's controversial "partial mobilization" in autumn 2023, the Washington Post described the resulting exodus as "a tidal wave on scale with emigration following the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution and the Soviet Union's collapse in 1991."

According to a study published by the European University Institute in 2024, more than half of the surveyed expats said they don't plan to return to Russia, even if the war ended, and suggested that the Russian brain drain' may continue unless the country undergoes systematic political change."

much more at the link

And a view from the dissident expat reporter at Inside Russia.

www.youtube.com

#1 | Posted by Corky at 2025-08-14 04:01 PM | Reply

www.lemonde.fr

a link to the story if you get a firewall... they do like 3 free I think

#2 | Posted by Corky at 2025-08-14 04:05 PM | Reply

About a million, probably more like two or three million by now, Russians "remembered" they are Jewish and emigrated to Israel, after the fall of the Soviet Union.

Israel reminds them of their Jewish roots with Hebrew classes and the like. Like any Capitalist country not run by a xenophobe, and like any economist will tell you, Israel benefits by welcoming them in.

#3 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-08-14 04:12 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

#3

Trumpers have an open invitation to re-locate to Russia... although that tends to be problematic without getting drafted or imprisoned.

#4 | Posted by Corky at 2025-08-14 04:22 PM | Reply

You'd have to have your head in the sand to say tis is a secret.

Putin Calls for Women To Work and Have 'Many Children' As Birth Rate Falls
www.newsweek.com

Oh its a CorkyDaBigot thread, now I understand.
Didn't Russia just a few years back announce a program for couples having kids to receive a ukrainian slave?

I mean how did English get the word "slave" anyway?

#5 | Posted by oneironaut at 2025-08-14 05:18 PM | Reply

they are Jewish and emigrated to Israel, after the fall of the Soviet Union.

No No No they emigrated during the Soviet Unions purge of religion starting in 1948 (coincidence? No). Like you Snoofy, and Hamas, Stalin didn't like Zionism, and persecuted Jews.
So they moved to Israel rather than get murdered, or sent to the gulag. This is why Kibbutzim were all the rage in Israel at this time.
The Soviet Jews believed in communism, and actually felt it would work.

You have more in common with the Israeli Jew, Snoofy, Freedom, Democracy, communistic idealism, than the Blood sucking Theocratic Hamas. Like you said, all Palestinians know someone that is Hamas.

#6 | Posted by oneironaut at 2025-08-14 05:28 PM | Reply

"Secret" in the headline, if you read the article, means not much talked about in the international press; there's lots more and different things to say about Russia as they are busy bombing civilians and bribing Trump most of the time.

#7 | Posted by Corky at 2025-08-14 05:41 PM | Reply

With Putin killing off Russians in their millions of course there is a population crisis.

#8 | Posted by Zed at 2025-08-14 05:49 PM | Reply

Not to worry folks!

Donald Trump and Republicans are bringing famine, death, pestilence and war right here to America for us to experience.

Huzzah!!!

#9 | Posted by ClownShack at 2025-08-14 05:53 PM | Reply

Not just Russia ...

Japan's annual births fall to record low as population emergency deepens (June 2025)
www.cnn.com

... The number of newborns in Japan is decreasing faster than projected, with the number of annual births falling to another record low last year, according to government data released Wednesday.

The health ministry said 686,061 babies were born in Japan in 2024, a drop of 5.7% on the previous year and the first time the number of newborns fell below 700,000 since records began in 1899. It's the 16th straight year of decline.

It's about one-quarter of the peak of 2.7 million births in 1949 during the postwar baby boom.

The data in a country of rapidly aging and shrinking population adds to concern about the sustainability of the economy and national security at a time it seeks to increase defense spending. ...


#10 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-08-14 08:33 PM | Reply

List of countries by total fertility rate
en.wikipedia.org

... This is a list of all sovereign states and dependencies by total fertility rate (TFR): the expected number of children born per woman in her child-bearing years. ...

Country ranking by most recent year
en.wikipedia.org

An interesting chart. The United States is ranked #147.

#11 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-08-14 08:39 PM | Reply

I don't really think they have a problem. It's very apparent that America is half-filled with people who are more than happy to live under communism and socialism that Russia and the US just will make a deal that Russia pays America for people to migrate. It sounds outlandish but based on the ridiculously stupid deals Trump just made with NVDA, AMD, etc. it's so much more probable now. Trump will sell out anyone to ensure the Feds get theirs. Which, and I know DR lib kids are going to hate this next statement, is a primary duty of the POTUS.

#12 | Posted by humtake at 2025-08-15 12:18 PM | Reply

It sounds outlandish

#12 | Posted by humtake at 2025-08-15 12:18 PM | Reply | Flag:

because it is. They've facing a 3 million worker shortfall over the next 5 years, so through 2026 they're trying to bring in 1 million workers from India. North Korea leases their people as slaves to Russia for construction and other industries.

#13 | Posted by sitzkrieg at 2025-08-15 12:42 PM | Reply

Has Russia thought about sending millions of young men to their senseless deaths?

#14 | Posted by Derek_Wildstar at 2025-08-15 01:12 PM | Reply

"According to a study published by the European University Institute in 2024, more than half of the surveyed expats said they don't plan to return to Russia, even if the war ended, and suggested that the Russian brain drain' may continue unless the country undergoes systematic political change."

So, the U.S.isn't that different from Russia.....where ignorance = patriotism and intellectuals are hated!

#15 | Posted by danni at 2025-08-15 01:30 PM | Reply

COMING SOON TO AN AMERICA NEAR YOU.

Trump's fascist mafia are setting america to work just like russia.

#16 | Posted by SpeakSoftly at 2025-08-15 02:09 PM | Reply

I don't really think they have a problem. It's very apparent that America is half-filled with people who are more than happy to live under communism and socialism

#12 | Posted by humtake

I've seen a lot more americans rooting for fascist oligarchy than I have seen rooting for communism. yourself included.

#17 | Posted by SpeakSoftly at 2025-08-15 02:10 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

" communism and socialism"

Not the same thing, dumbass.

#18 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2025-08-15 03:24 PM | Reply

It's very apparent that America is half-filled with people who are more than happy to live under communism and socialism

Are those the folks that support the administration directly meddling in the private sector, including the government taking stake in private business?

Or the single Moms getting free milk every week and retired people on SSI?

#19 | Posted by horstngraben at 2025-08-15 03:54 PM | Reply

"I've seen a lot more americans rooting for fascist oligarchy than you're happy with Trump;, we just can't allow the United States to do things like most of Western Europe; like Socialized healyjcare and education because....because,,,,,because why??? Because it's a better system than Capitalism for healthcare and education! So we just can't allow that!??? If you like Fascist Oligarchy so much then move to Russia; no one will stop you! I would encourage the government to pay for your air fare and a few thousand dollars in your pocket! Just go and don't come back!

#20 | Posted by danni at 2025-08-15 04:02 PM | Reply

About a million, probably more like two or three million by now, Russians "remembered" they are Jewish and emigrated to Israel, after the fall of the Soviet Union.

#3 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-08-14 04:12 PM

One of the guys I worked with, he and his family were Jewish and they immigrated to the US from Leningrad when he was 17-years old. Now they could have gone directly to Israel, with new passports in hand, if they had wanted to, but an uncle had immigrated to the US a few years earlier and they wanted to join him, however, that meant that they had to wait something like seven-months in a fleabag hotel in Stockholm waiting for the US government to process their application for asylum.

I first met Mike (his actual name was Mikhail) years after he had graduated from engineering school and was working for our company out here in SoCal (for a short period of time, he actually worked for me). Anyway, he was quite proud of the fact that he'd learned to speak English without any trace of a Russian accent (I've met several Russians who've managed to accomplish this, which was always a bit scary). The problem was that his family, when they came to the US, settled in New Jersey, and so when Mike was honing his English skills, he was also acquiring a New Jersey accent, which we always kidded him about.

OCU

#21 | Posted by OCUser at 2025-08-15 05:33 PM | Reply

Russians "remembered" they are Jewish and emigrated to Israel, after the fall of the Soviet Union.
#3 | Posted by snoofy

I suppose that's one way to look at it.
Another aspect is that Bolshevik Jews have run the communist party all along and they got the hell out when the gig is up.

#22 | Posted by easy_meat at 2025-08-15 09:04 PM | Reply

...similar to the way the Jewish Ukrainians all evacuated to Israel just before the 'surprise' invasion.

#23 | Posted by easy_meat at 2025-08-15 09:05 PM | Reply

"While some Jewish Ukrainians did manage to evacuate to Israel before the full-scale invasion, the claim that all Jewish Ukrainians evacuated just before the invasion is inaccurate."
Here's why:"

www.google.com

Yet another false narrative, same brain dead source... he's like 1Nut, only English is his first language.... maybe.

#24 | Posted by Corky at 2025-08-15 09:25 PM | Reply

#21 Ocu

"The 1980s marked a significant wave of Russian Jewish immigration to the United States, driven by a combination of factors including Soviet policies and a desire for greater religious and economic freedom. This influx, part of a larger "exodus" from the Soviet Union, saw over 700,000 Soviet Jews immigrate to the U.S. between 1987 and 1997." (Thanks Goog AI)

Worked with a brilliant engineer (Russian) (Jewish) (software) in the 80's, member of this migration, who humbly took a coding job to make it work.... soon ascended appropriately..... Would sit with me outside in Cambridge and trade Russian / English.... Beautiful family.... and the food! ... not forgettable...

#25 | Posted by South_American at 2025-08-15 09:50 PM | Reply

Israel reminds them of their Jewish roots with Hebrew classes and the like. Like any Capitalist country not run by a xenophobe, and like any economist will tell you, Israel benefits by welcoming them in.

#3 | Posted by snoofy

How many nonjewish refugees has Israel taken in? They're an ethnostate and definitively xenophobe. They did accept some Ethiopian 'jews' at one time, but surreptitiously sterilized them...

#26 | Posted by easy_meat at 2025-08-16 03:05 PM | Reply

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