Demographic Decline and Economic Collapse Push Small Russian Cities Toward Oblivion

A total of 129 small towns in Russia, representing a population of approximately 3.4 million people, are at risk of vanishing from the map, according to a report by experts from the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA).

The data show that over the past decade, these towns have collectively lost around 314,000 residents. Experts attribute the crisis not only to population decline, but also to dwindling employment opportunities and a reduction in small and medium-sized businesses.

The most severe population loss has occurred in towns located in Russia’s northern regions, particularly those dependent on the coal, metallurgy, and timber industries. Peripheral towns in economically depressed regions are also facing near-total collapse.

Urban shrinkage often takes generations

The gradual “shrinkage” of small towns typically unfolds over several generations, said Stepan Zemtsov, head of the Development Economics Research Lab at the Presidential Academy.

“A small town slowly loses its core functions and eventually turns into a rural settlement or even a village,” explained Stepan Zemtsov. “Most of the time, this process is irreversible — though there are exceptions.”

Zemtsov pointed out that if new economic incentives appear — such as reallocated logistics routes, the establishment of industrial or agro-industrial clusters, investment in tourism, or the revival of local manufacturing — a small town could regain its lost functions.

He noted that history has shown several examples of towns that experienced a revival and grew back into thriving urban centers. The key, he said, lies in the regional capacity and the initiative of local entrepreneurs willing to support development.

Russian demographic paradox linked to migrants

The demographic situation in Russia is further complicated by what some officials describe as a paradoxical trend: the replacement of native Russians with migrant populations. This was stated by State Duma deputy Mikhail Matveev.

“Despite an overall decline in Russia’s population, there is a strange increase in the number of large families — but most of them are migrant families,” said Mikhail Matveev.

According to the lawmaker, while the native birthrate continues to fall, many of the new large families are made up of migrant households. Matveev emphasized that although the situation remains reversible, the government must act quickly and decisively to reverse the trend and address the looming demographic crisis.