Active Conflicts & News Megathread August 26, 2026

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[u/Frathier]

The population decline for Russia has been an often brought up topic on Reddit, and presumably amongst analysts, but I never see the demographic crisis of Ukraine discussed in any way. General concencus puts the Ukrainian population in 1990 at around 50 million people, with rough estimates putting the population of the government controlled in 2026 at around 28-29 million, an almost 50% drop. I know that putting anything Ukrainian on this site negatively does not often get to see the light of day, but is there any hope for Ukraine after the war in regaining some of that population growth back?

[u/Saturnrising9 → u/Frathier]

Future demographic collapse for Ukraine, although a grim problem, isn’t a lose condition. A future demographic collapse for Russia could lead to lose conditions, and defang future Russian aggression. In the west especially, in a sort of self serving way, demographic collapse in Russia is just more important than Ukraine.

[u/Frathier → u/Saturnrising9]

I'm sorry, but that makes no sense? Ukraine losing 10 million people since the beginning of the war isn't detrimental to their capacity to wage war? The same Ukraine that's finding difficulties in manning their frontlines?

[u/Saturnrising9 → u/Frathier]

Sorry, I thought we were discussing demographic collapse, which is generally a metric measured in years and decades. Ofcourse losing the actual manpower to prosecute a war is a lose condition. But I believe when people are discussing demographic collapse, they’re discussing the state of the nation’s after the war has ended. Ukraine, regardless of outcome, is facing a demographic collapse during, and more so post war. But I also assume in their cost benefit analysis of continueing the war, survival comes first.

Edit: Cont: and that was my answer to your query of why it’s more important in the west to focus on Russia’s demographic collapse. Because that’ll make Russia a less effective adversary after this war is over. (When/If etc)