Russia’s population is shrinking rapidly. Putin is trying to put a stop to that

 

For a quarter of a century, President Vladimir Putin has grappled with Russia's declining and ageing population.

The demographic crisis predates his ascent to power, with the nation recording its lowest birth rate in 1999, the year before he took office.

 

In 2005, Mr Putin acknowledged the issue, stating that these demographic challenges necessitated maintaining "social and economic stability." He reiterated his concern in 2019, admitting the problem still "haunted" the country.

 

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/russia-birthrate-population-putin-deaths-b2852033.html
 

 

Its not so much the Russian birthrate in decline, but the Rus slav birthrate

 

 

Current projections say slavs will be a minority by 2100; during the lifetime of current Russian children. Currently, Russian Slavs are 70% of the population (2021 Census), so the Slavs are really facing catastrophic changes in quite a short period of time. 

It doesn't mean Russia faces having a Chechen president. We know that rapid cultural changes in society cause it to become unstable. The voice of seperatists will become stronger, those for the status quo become quiet. It will mean Russia splits in half. Putin needs more slavs. He probably can't prevent the ultimate disintegration of the Russian Federstion, but he's hoping in the continuance of European Russia as a substantive power.