MOSCOW, January 28. /TASS/. The population of Russia contracted by 510,000 over 2020 to 146.238 mln people as of January 1, 2021, the Federal State Statistics Service (Rosstat) said on Thursday.

The Russian population was 146.748 mln as of January 1, 2020.

According to statistical data, such population decline was recorded 15 years ago, when it dropped from 143.8 mln in 2005 to 143.2 mln as of 2006 year-start. The annual increase was registered since 2010. The population did not drop lower than 146.8 mln since 2017 and the first dramatic decline was registered in 2021.