Demographer Krupnov: the age of marriage in Russia should not be raised, but lowered.

      The Chief Freelance Geriatrician of the Ministry of Health, Olga Tkacheva, has proposed to consider Russians up to 39 years old as youth. Yuri Krupnov, the chairman of the supervisory board of the Institute of Demography, Migration, and Regional Development, expressed his opinion on this matter. In a conversation with NSN, Krupnov stated that it is extremely important for Russia today not to raise the marriage age but to gradually lower it. He called this task a state and nationwide issue, as reported by the publication "Lenta.ru." According to the expert, expanding the age boundaries of youth indirectly encourages the postponement of starting a family and having children. "Moreover, there are proposals to raise this age — up to 40 or even 45 years," he noted. Krupnov emphasized that Russia needs reverse trends. He also warned against the endless extension of the concept of "youth." "If we keep extending the concept of 'youth' indefinitely — for example, to 70 years — it will only lead to indulgence of negative demographic and physiological trends in the country. The potential harm of such an initiative could be destructive," concluded the demographer. Currently, in Russia, youth is officially considered to be citizens up to 35 years old. Earlier, Tkacheva justified her proposal by the increase in life expectancy, which, in her opinion, gives a person more opportunities for education, mastering a new profession, and building a career.