Deaths in Ukraine outpaced births fourfold in the first half of 2026

In the first six months of 2026, the death rate in Ukraine exceeded the birth rate by four times, compared to a ratio of 1 to 3 in the same period of 2025.

The data are provided by the Opendatabot service, which specializes in monitoring the country’s state registries.

In the first half of 2026, approximately 73,000 children were born in Ukraine — 16% fewer than in the same period of 2025. On average, around 12,000 children are born in the country each month, whereas just 10 years ago that figure stood at around 32,000 children per month.

At the same time, more than 259,000 deaths were recorded in the first six months of 2026 — 4% more than in the same period of 2025.

“The statistics of life and death this year have deteriorated significantly. On average, the death rate is four times higher than the birth rate. By comparison, last year that figure was 1 to 3,” the service’s website states.

The most severe situation is in frontline regions, where there are 19 deaths for every newborn. Kyiv has recorded a significant rise in the number of deaths — 11% — while the capital leads all regions of the country in the number of newborns.

According to the press service of the UN’s Geneva headquarters as of autumn 2024, Ukraine’s population has decreased by 8 million since February 2022. Ukrainian financial analyst Alexei Kushch described the demographic situation in Ukraine as catastrophic and acknowledged that it will only worsen. According to him, the country’s natural population decline over a year is comparable to the disappearance of a large city such as Vinnytsia. Kushch also pointed to a decline in life expectancy and the mass emigration of young men whose parents take them abroad to avoid their future conscription.