“It’s a Catastrophe”: Ukraine’s Social Policy Minister Puts Population at 22–25 Million

Ukraine’s Social Policy Minister Denys Uliutin said on May 7, 2026, that 22–25 million people live in territories controlled by the government. “This is a catastrophe,” he said, noting the figure is lower than estimates from demographer Ella Libanova, who put the population at about 29 million. The war has driven millions abroad and contributed to high mortality and low birth rates. Libanova warned that further emigration may follow the war as families reunite overseas, deepening the country’s long-term demographic challenges.