Head of Demography Institute: Ukraine lost one million people in a year
Mass emigration and population aging are deepening Ukraine’s demographic crisis, with experts warning of a new wave of departures and a growing labor shortage.
On April 29, 2026, Ella Libanova, director of the M. V. Ptukha Institute for Demography and Social Studies of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, said that Ukraine’s population declined by around one million people in 2025, LB.ua reported.
According to her, as of February 2026, around 29 million people live in territory controlled by Ukraine. The main cause of the decline remains natural population loss, worsened by the war and migration. “The population is aging – there are people to die, but no one to give birth,” Libanova stressed.
Emigration is also having a major impact on the demographic situation. “The majority left in the first half of 2022. Very few have returned – fewer than one million,” she said, adding that with every month of war, the likelihood of return decreases.
The expert also warned of the risk of a second wave of emigration after martial law is lifted. “If a family has not broken apart and the woman has settled abroad, there is a strong chance that she will not return – rather, the man will go to her,” the demographer explained.
According to Libanova, Ukraine is losing not only population but also skilled professionals. “We are losing educated, professional people. More than 70% of women over 25 have higher education,” she noted.
These processes may lead to a labor shortage, meaning the country will likely have to attract migrant workers in the future. “Builders will have to be brought in. From where will depend on possibilities: the upper tier can be attracted from Europe, while the lower tier will likely come from Bangladesh,” she said.
Libanova also stressed that Ukraine loses around 300,000 people annually because deaths exceed births, a trend that has persisted for more than a decade.
As previously reported by the UOJ, Ukrainian authorities plan to address labor shortages in business by bringing in migrants from African countries.
