The worst birth-to-death ratio in the first half of 2026 was recorded in Ukraine’s frontline regions.
In Donetsk Oblast, there were 19 deaths for every newborn, and in Kherson Oblast, 14. In Sumy, Chernihiv, and Kharkiv Oblasts, the ratio was approximately one to six.
On average across Ukraine, there were nearly four deaths for every newborn. A year earlier, this ratio was one to three.
The best—though still negative—demographic balance among the regions was recorded in the Rivne, Volyn, and Zakarpattia regions. There, there were two deaths for every newborn.
In total, 73,292 thousand births and 259,853 thousand deaths were registered in Ukraine from January through June 2026, OpenDataBot reported on July 22, based on data from the Ministry of Justice.
birth rate, death rate, demographics, Donetsk Oblast, Kherson Oblast
