Russia faces a critical need for migrants to support its development due to a shrinking domestic workforce, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated in an interview published on Friday.

“Migrants are a necessity,” Peskov told state news agency RIA Novosti. “We have a tense demographic situation. We live in the largest country in the world, but our population is relatively small,” he explained.

This week, Russia’s parliament passed legislation banning “child-free propaganda,” prohibiting individuals and organizations from discouraging childbirth. The measure aims to address a demographic crisis rooted in the Soviet era and exacerbated by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Peskov emphasized that a robust labor force is vital for Russia’s dynamic development and the execution of its projects.

The Kremlin has expressed support for migration, despite widespread anti-migrant sentiments, particularly against workers from Central Asia who are integral to key economic sectors.

In July, the Kremlin described the country’s low population as “disastrous for the future of the nation.” Despite incentives like financial benefits and mortgage subsidies for large families, Russia’s population has not rebounded since the Soviet era.

The country’s demographic challenges include a declining birth rate, significant deaths from COVID-19, and the exodus of hundreds of thousands of men avoiding mobilization for the Ukraine conflict. In 2023, the fertility rate was 1.41 births per woman, far below the 2.0 replacement rate.

According to Rosstat, only 920,200 babies were born in Russia between January and September this year, marking a 3.4% decrease from the same period in 2022. Media reports note this is the lowest number of births since the 1990s.