Mie Nakachi looks at how the war against Ukraine has affected the Russian government’s abortion policy and recalls Soviet initiatives in reproductive policy, which repeatedly failed to achieve the desired goals.

On numerous occasions in post-Soviet Russia, conservative politicians and the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) have called for anti-abortion measures and the return of traditional gender roles. However, medical experts have defended accessible abortions, and no health minister has previously argued that women should prioritize childbirth over education in order to raise the birthrate.