Death of Ukraine

In this special report from Ukraine, David Stern examines the causes and consequences of Ukraine’s other crisis – its demographic time bomb. Since Independence in 1991, the population has decreased from 51 million to 45 million and is projected to be only 32 million by 2050 if conditions do not improve.

David travels across the country to meet young families who can only afford one child. He meets the elderly but sprightly ladies of Priluki. Women outlive men by at least 10 years due to the men’s excessive alcohol, smoking and generally poor attitude to health, and talks to a young family who are leaving the country for the United States of America, having become tired of waiting for social and economic improvement.

(Photo: Elderly ladies of Priluki exercising in the local community centre)