Novgorod Governor Gleb Nikitin speaks at a regional conference dedicated to increasing Russia’s birthrate, April 4, 2026. Photo: Gleb Nikitin / Telegram
Gleb Nikitin, the governor of Russia’s Novgorod region, said on Saturday that the number of elective abortions performed at state clinics in the region fell by 30 percent in 2025 compared to 2024 — and was nearly five times lower than 10 years ago.
“Yes, we’ve had these small victories, but that’s not enough,” Nikitin said at an event dedicated to raising Russia’s birthrate. “The [demographic] situation in our country is critical, and allowing elective abortions is too big a luxury. Our task is to try to prevent such cases — not through bans, but through high-quality work, care, and responsibility.”
Officials also noted at the conference that in the last year, the number of private clinics licensed to perform abortions in the Novgorod region fell from 55 to nine.
In recent years, Russian authorities have taken extensive measures to curb abortions, including anti-abortion PR campaigns, revocation of clinics’ licenses, and official bans on “coercing” women into abortions.
