[abc123xyz]

While at 143 million people Russia has the largest population, this is rapidly shrinking, Russian internet (runet as they call it) was already mostly balkanised mainly due to language.

I find it amusing that they are doing this in "the name of combating piracy" when right now a certain russian site is hosting 1.2 million (mostly western) pirated ebooks and 28 million pirated scientific articles

[watwut]

I do not think stated reason is necessary the same as the real reason. Real reason is more likely to have to do with control over local population, possibly with trying not to export local data to outside world (e.g. national security) and is likely an attempt to give an advantage to local companies.

Combating piracy is just something west is supposed to react more positively at.

[insuffi]

Except birth rate in Russia has been rapidly increasing in the last 14 years.

They are making steps to legalize content, such as vkontakte legalizing 70% of their media material.

[vitalique]

Yay teen pregnancy!

[guard-of-terra]

Nope, it isn't. First birth age is growing like everywhere in post-transit countries.

(This also leads to statistics under-predicting birth rate)