Vladimir Putin ridiculed after demanding Russians have more sex to halt declining population

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin was mocked by his own countrymen today after urging Russians to start having more sex to put a stop to the country's declining population.



In one of his more controversial presidential election campaign pledges, Putin vowed to give cash incentives to mothers who have a third child, to help encourage more births.



Russia is the largest geographical country in the world but its 142 million population is smaller than both Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin vowed to offer free kindergarten places, cheaper housing, and a £140 a month benefit bonus as an incentive for mothers to have a third child, while on his campaign trail

Putin, who served two consecutive presidential terms between 2000 and 2008 followed by his current term as prime minister, warned that the current steady population decline could see 50 million fewer Russians by 2050 to just 107million people.

The Russian Prime Minister, who is now seeking his third presidential term in the March election, declared: 'We are facing the risk of turning into an ‘empty space’ whose fate will not be decided by us.'



'The historic price of the choice between action and inaction is nearly 50 million human lives over the next 40 years.'



Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin visiting a school in Russia's Siberian city of Kurgan today as he sets out his plans to increase spending on healthcare, education and social services

Since Putin first came to power in 2000 the population has decreased by 2.5 million Russians so the Prime Minister has made increasing the country's birth rate through Government incentives one of his key election pledges.



He vowed to offer more free kindergarten places, cheaper housing, and a £140 a month benefit bonus to mothers who have a third child, in a bid to boost the population size to 154million people.

A green traffic light illuminates a transparent image of Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin stuck to the device by his supporters in central Moscow today

But critics claim his policies have failed to make families feel confident about the future with the country still facing lower life expectancy rates than other developed countries.



His latest plans also propose action to stop chronic alcohol and drug abuse, in addition to easing immigration curbs, which he had only just tightened.



Anatoly Vishnevsky, director of the Moscow-based Demography Institute, said: 'These measures are not enough.



'It’s impossible to imagine how you could boost the population except through massive immigration.'



And his edict to go forth and multiply was also immediately ridiculed by his countrymen on internet forums and websites.



One woman, Inna, said: 'So, now we have to make love non-stop? In the USSR they said there was no sex in the country. In the Russian Federation it’s have sex then take the money.'



Another wrote sarcastically: 'Putin is like a God. He will restore the birthrate and save Russia. Oh Prometheus!'

