Overview

• Russia's lower house of parliament approved the first reading of a bill criminalizing 'child-free' propaganda.
• The bill is part of a broader strategy to uphold traditional values and counter Western influence.
• Legislation proponents argue that discouraging childbirth is a tactic to weaken Russia demographically.
• Fines for violating the law could reach up to 5 million rubles, or approximately $50,000.
• The bill comes as Russia's birth rate hits a 25-year low, exacerbated by ongoing casualties in Ukraine.