Fact check: Russia claims to have a population of over 140 million, but leaked information about their state budget stated it's only about 80 million

1. Summary of the results

The claim about Russia's population being only 80 million is not supported by any of the provided sources. Instead, multiple credible sources confirm that Russia's current population is approximately 146-147 million ^{[1] [2]}. Historical data shows the population has actually declined from 148.2 million in 1991 ^[1], but not nearly to the extent claimed in the original statement.

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original statement overlooks crucial demographic trends that provide important context:

• Russia has been experiencing negative population growth since 1992, with deaths exceeding births ^[3]
• The decline is driven by multiple factors:

Extremely low fertility rates (1.4 children per woman in 1994)

High abortion rates

• Increased mortality rates, especially among working-age males ^[3]

Future projections indicate this trend will continue:

• UN projects a decline to 120 million in 50 years
• Rosstat (Russia's statistical agency) predicts 130 million by 2046 ^[2]
• Other estimates suggest 130-140 million by 2050 ^[1]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original statement appears to be significantly misleading in several ways:

• It confuses a potential data leak of 140 million mobile numbers ^[4] with actual population figures
• It references an unverified "leaked state budget" without providing any source or context
• It ignores well-documented demographic data from multiple international organizations

The claim of 80 million people could be potentially harmful misinformation as:

• It contradicts verified census data and UN population figures ^[2]
• It undermines legitimate concerns about Russia's real demographic challenges, which experts say require adaptation of social and economic institutions ^[5]
• It could distract from genuine demographic issues that need addressing through effective demographic and migration policies ^[5]