Only pensioners will be left: a utilities expert predicted a demographic catastrophe because of new tariffs

Ukraine is facing the threat of a final loss of its working-age population if the state continues to solve budget problems solely by raising utility tariffs and cutting social programs.

This warning was voiced by housing-and-utilities and energy expert Oleh Popenko on his YouTube channel, Oleh Popenko PRO.

He said that as economic pressure on citizens becomes critical, the country risks turning into a place where only pensioners remain, forced to “live out their days,” while young people choose emigration as the only survival strategy.

Commenting on government initiatives to reduce payments and raise коммунальные (utility) prices, he said such measures discourage even the most patriotic citizens from staying in the country. In his view, attempts to keep people with slogans or “political statements” are doomed to fail, because ideology cannot replace a basic standard of living.

“If we say: let’s take everything from people—well then there will be no one to work, and no one to live here. Only pensioners will remain, those who can survive… And all the young people will leave. How can they? They’ve already all left anyway, and there’s not much you can do to keep them here,” Popenko said.

He is skeptical about the impact of media messaging on the decisions of the younger generation, stressing that today’s Ukrainians are pragmatic and not ready to sacrifice their future for abstract appeals.

“Try explaining to young people what you want (to keep them here). With Portnykov’s political statements? They don’t give a damn about ideologically polished speeches,” the analyst said emotionally, adding that rare exceptions only prove the rule.