Growth of population

Putin: Russia Has 'Clear Competitive Advantage Over Other Countries'

Russia, despite the existing problems, has a clear competitive advantage over other countries, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview aired Saturday, noting the migration inflow into the country.

"Russia is changing, Europe is changing, and the world is changing. We have many problems, but there is a clear competitive advantage over other countries. This is what life shows," Putin stated in a televised interview on Russia's Vesti v Subbotu weekly news program.

He drew attention to the influx of migrants and the growth of the population in Russia.

Putin cited as an instance the situation in Lithuania, where over 3.5 million people used to live in 1985–1990, while the current population is about one-third less, according to the census data.