Average life expectancy has decreased in Ukraine

Ukraine is experiencing a serious demographic crisis, which has led to a significant reduction in life expectancy and a decline in population. This is due to Russia’s ongoing armed aggression, the occupation of territories, uncertainty, and forced emigration. According to the State Statistics Service, Ukraine’s population was estimated at about 31 million people at the beginning of 2025, and experts predict a further decline to 25.2 million by 2040.

According to ICTV’s Fakty, citing the draft Demographic Development Strategy of Ukraine until 2040, the average life expectancy of Ukrainians has decreased significantly. While in 2020 men lived on average 66.4 years and women 76.2 years, in 2023 these figures were 57.3 years for men and 70.9 years for women.

In addition to the hostilities, other factors also contribute to the demographic crisis. These include low fertility rates (the total fertility rate dropped to 1.0 during the war, while 2.2 is required for simple reproduction), an increase in the number of people with disabilities, and a high rate of premature mortality from various causes (road accidents, harmful working conditions, low welfare, substance abuse, and lack of quality health care). Forced emigration and large-scale internal displacement of the population also have a significant impact, creating problems with housing, employment, and access to basic services.

To overcome demographic challenges, the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine is developing new strategies. Presidential Decree No. 225 of June 02, 2021 approved the Human Development Strategy, which, however, was not fully implemented due to the full-scale invasion. The new approaches, developed based on international experience, are aimed at ensuring a decent standard of living for Ukrainians and creating conditions for the return of citizens from abroad. According to preliminary forecasts, the successful implementation of the strategy could lead to an increase in the population of Ukraine to 33.9 million by 2041.

Earlier, we reported that after the end of the Russian-Ukrainian war, Ukraine will have to face a number of serious social challenges, one of which is the demographic crisis. Statistics show that Ukrainians who have left the country over the past three years are mostly reluctant to return.