“We are dying out here”: Study hears Ukrainian voices on depopulation crisis
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CREDIT: UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON
Ukraine is facing a depopulation crisis that was being felt by ordinary Ukrainians even before the Russian invasion, according to new research by the University of Southampton.
Researchers are now calling on policy makers to support Ukrainians with jobs, housing, and policies to help them start families to help stop spiralling depopulation.
Ukraine has one of the highest rates of population decrease in Europe. Its population has been steadily declining since 1993 and this was exacerbated by the annexation of Crimea in 2014, the rebellion by pro-Russian separatists in the east, and the COVID-19 pandemic. By 2021, Ukraine’s population had shrunk by over 10 million people in 20 years.
“Before the Russian invasion, Ukraine was already facing a triple burden of depopulation - low fertility, high mortality and substantial emigration,” says Professor Brienna Perelli-Harris from the Centre for Population Change at the University of Southampton.
“The Russian invasion has accelerated this decline in ways we could scarcely have imagined when we conducted our research just six months earlier.”
To understand how Ukrainians were experiencing this depopulation, researchers conducted online focus groups in several locations in eastern Ukraine: rural villages; Mariupol, which was then receiving internally displaced people; the large city of Kharkiv; and Donetsk, held by Russian-backed separatists.
‘Bleak’ rural villages
The ‘triple burden’ was particularly apparent in rural areas. According to the participants, a lack of job opportunities, the degradation of infrastructure, and limited public transport had resulted in more and more people, especially young people, leaving villages.
‘Thriving’ Mariupol and Kharkiv
At the time of the study, the cities of Mariupol and Kharkiv were growing due to people coming from surrounding villages and an influx of internally displaced people who had arrived from eastern Ukraine after 2014.
Most participants in Kharkiv and Mariupol acknowledged the benefits of specialists and experts coming to their cities, but some were concerned about straining infrastructure and resources.
Professor Perelli-Harris says: “It’s horrific that cities which our focus groups described as vibrant, bustling, and optimistic about their future have been devastated by war with Russia. Places which had been safe havens for people displaced by conflict have now found themselves in a warzone.”
‘Empty’ Donetsk
Donetsk experienced armed conflict in 2014, followed by a massive outflow of people in subsequent years. Residents spoke of empty apartments, deserted neighbourhoods, and eerily quiet streets. The 10pm curfew, which had been in effect since the start of the war, stifled any evening activity or nightlife.
The study says that even before the Russian invasion, depopulation was having dire consequences for Ukraine, leading to a shrinking labour force, severe ageing, and a general lack of development.
“People in the areas we studied have now been displaced, made destitute, detained, forcibly deported, conscripted into the Russian army, or worse,” says Professor Perelli-Harris. “Looking to a post-war future, policymakers across the world must recognise the issue of depopulation in Ukraine, and provide support to its people in rebuilding, regenerating, and stopping the spiral of depopulation. In the short-term, Ukrainians should be supported with jobs, housing, and policies to help them start families.”
The study The triple burden of depopulation in Ukraine: examining perceptions of population decline has been published in the Vienna Yearbook of Population Research and is available to view online.
Ends
Notes to Editors
- The triple burden of depopulation in Ukraine: examining perceptions of population decline is available online at https://www.austriaca.at/0xc1aa5576_0x003e1c35.pdf
- For further information and interviews with Professor Brienna Perelli-Harris, please contact: Steve Williams, Media Relations, University of Southampton. press@soton.ac.uk 023 8059 3212.
- Audio clip of Professor Brienna Perelli-Harris discussing the research available for download at: https://safesend.soton.ac.uk/pickup?claimID=qM9oeYfpysAtB2DH&claimPasscode=wpNjqSVSdo7Hzn2T&emailAddr=119347
- The University of Southampton drives original thinking, turns knowledge into action and impact, and creates solutions to the world’s challenges. We are among the top 100 institutions globally (QS World University Rankings 2023). Our academics are leaders in their fields, forging links with high-profile international businesses and organisations, and inspiring a 22,000-strong community of exceptional students, from over 135 countries worldwide. Through our high-quality education, the University helps students on a journey of discovery to realise their potential and join our global network of over 200,000 alumni. www.southampton.ac.uk
- The ESRC Centre for Population Change (CPC) was established in January 2009. It is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), tasked with investigating how and why our population is changing and what this means for people, communities and governments. The Centre is a joint partnership between the Universities of Southampton, St. Andrews, and Stirling. The research agenda is planned in collaboration with the Office for National Statistics and the National Records of Scotland. CPC is a founding partner of Population Europe, the network of Europe's leading research centres in the field of policy-relevant population studies. The Centre is directed by Professor Jane Falkingham, with co-investigators Professor Maria Evandrou and Professor Hill Kulu. www.cpc.ac.uk | Twitter @CPCPopulation
- The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) is part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). ESRC is the UK's largest organisation for funding research on economic and social issues. They support independent, high quality research which has an impact on business, the public sector and civil society. At any one time ESRC supports over 4,000 researchers and postgraduate students in academic institutions and independent research institutes. www.esrc.ukri.org
- UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is a non-departmental public body funded by a grant-in-aid from the UK government. It brings together the UK’s seven research councils, Innovate UK and Research England to maximise the contribution of each council and create the best environment for research and innovation to flourish. www.ukri.org
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JOURNAL
Vienna Yearbook of Population Research
SUBJECT OF RESEARCH
People
ARTICLE TITLE
The triple burden of depopulation in Ukraine: examining perceptions of population decline
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