Russian President Vladimir Putin has revived a Soviet-era award of "Mother Heroine" for those women who have 10 or more children. This comes amid Moscow facing a demographic crisis which has been aggravated during the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

'Mother Heroine': Vladimir Putin revives Soviet-era award for mothers of 10 or more kids

Russia's Rosstat statistics agency reported a historic drop in the country's population with over one million excess deaths. The statistics agency said 660,000 people had died since the start of the pandemic in Russia as the country's population fell by more than one million in 2021 due to pandemic woes and an ageing population.

'146 million insufficient': Russia's annual population falls to record level amid excess deaths

Russia has recorded its largest annual population decline in 15 years. According to Rosstat, the official government statistics service.

Russia's population decline is steepest in last 15 years; Know the causes

The Russian population shrank by more than half a million over the past 12 months, the steepest fall since the mid-2000s, official data showed on Thursday. As of January 1, 2021, the Russian population numbered 146.

In one year, Russia population shrinks by half a million