Russia drives demographic situation in Ukraine’s temporarily occupied territories to catastrophe — intelligence

The demographic situation in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine is deteriorating: the aggressor state, Russia, continues a deliberate policy of ethnocide aimed at erasing Ukrainian identity and replacing the local population with Russians and migrants from Central Asia, the North Caucasus, and other regions. The Main Directorate of Intelligence of Ukraine's Ministry of Defense stated this on its website, Ukrinform reports. "The aggressor state Russia has brought the situation of the Ukrainian population in Ukraine's temporarily occupied territories to catastrophe.

Birth rates are extremely low, while mortality is extremely high, and these fiHURes far exceed even the average for Russia itself," the HUR said. It was noted that in 2025, the natural population growth rate in the occupied part of Donetsk region was –9.9, which is 2.4 times worse than the overall fiHURe in Russia. As the HUR emphasized, the scale of demographic losses caused by Russia on the enslaved territories of eastern Ukraine is highly revealing: over ten years, the population of Donbas has decreased by nearly one third.

"If in 2001 about 7.37 million people lived in Donetsk and Luhansk regions together, then by the beginning of 2024 only about 3.75 million remained there," the intelligence service said. It is noted that the critical situation in the enslaved territories, caused by the Russian Federation's genocidal war against Ukraine, is characterized by the continued migration of the Ukrainian population out of occupation. This is influenced by a number of factors: active hostilities, a sharp decline in the quality of medical and other social services, repression, forced Russification and mobilization into the Russian occupation army, and the absence of protection of property rights, the HUR explained.

In addition, Russia is actively bringing its own citizens into the occupied territories of Ukraine in order to completely replace the ethnic composition there in the end. It is noted that the resettlement of Russians to the enslaved regions in eastern and southern Ukraine is being carried out through a number of special programs, incentives, financial benefits, and career opportunities. "As of July 2026, 200,000–300,000 ethnic Russians are present in occupied Crimea and Sevastopol.

The aggressor's plans for 2042 include relocating another 130,000 Russians to Sevastopol alone," the intelligence service said. The HUR reported that as of 2024, the occupied parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions were home to 200,000 ethnic Russians and about 100,000 labor migrants from Central Asia and the Caucasus. "Since the beginning of 2026 alone, about 10,000 such 'labor migrants' have been registered in the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk region," the HUR of the Ministry of Defense said.

As explained by the agency, most of the ethnic Russians illegally relocated to Ukraine's temporarily occupied territories are people sent from Russia who "work" in occupation administrations, repressive bodies, budget-funded "institutions," "organizations," and "enterprises" controlled by the occupiers. It is noted that the aggressor state sends Russian medical workers, teachers, and builders to the enslaved lands, and that a significant number of so-called military pensioners and residents of remote regions of Russia have been settled in occupied Crimea. The agency said that in order to encourage Russians to move to the temporarily occupied lands, the Russian Federation has created a system of financial bonuses.

"Russians sent on assignments to the occupied territories of Ukraine are paid a double salary, as well as housing rent compensation of up to RUB 7,210 per day. Per diem allowances reach RUB 8,480. For a month of assignment, a so-called Russian official can receive more than RUB 470,000 (more than $5,000), which is more than eight times the average salary in Russia," the HUR said. As intelligence reported, the occupation programs 'zemsky doctor,' 'zemsky teacher,' and others oblige Russians to work in the enslaved Ukrainian regions for at least five years.

"Another incentive is the granting of land plots and expropriated Ukrainian housing to the Russians brought in. In effect, Russia has legalized looting in Ukraine's temporarily occupied territories. Stolen housing is sold through preferential mortgage programs.

The Kremlin allocates land for participants in the criminal war against Ukraine for free," the statement said. It is noted that in 2025, 4,000 land plots were distributed in Crimea to military personnel of the Russian army from various regions of the aggressor state. As intelligence stated, the Kremlin is actively using the participants in the criminal war against Ukraine brought to the peninsula in propaganda events as part of its Russification policy in Crimea.