Putin calls for 'more interesting' alternatives to porn; tells Russians to 'use coffee breaks to procreate'

Russian President Vladimir Putin, during his annual 'Direct Line' event on Thursday in Moscow, expressed concerns over the widespread consumption of pornographic content. He emphasised the need for more 'interesting' and more 'passionate' media offerings to capture the attention of people.

Vladimir Putin said, "This is not only our problem but also the problem of many other countries," according to a report by RT (formerly Russia Today).

Putin acknowledged that banning and prohibiting such content might be an option, but it is more imperative to offer content which is more compelling and interesting.

“The answer can be what? In general, you could ban, but you should always offer an alternative that is more interesting than a porn site. So that a person would get in there, open a porn site and say: 'I’ve already seen this, I want to see something else'," Putin said.

This comes days after Putin urged citizens to take part in sexual activity during work breaks to fight the country’s declining birth rate.

The Russian president’s appeal came amid the country's falling fertility rate, which currently stands at 1.5 children per woman, well below the 2.1 needed to keep the population stable. Putin proposed that employees should use their lunch and coffee breaks for intimate encounters to boost the nation’s population.

Russian Health Minister Yevgeny Shestopalov, who echoed the similar concerns, dismissed the notion that busy work schedules should be an excuse. “You can engage in procreation during breaks because life flies by too quickly,” he was reported saying. When asked how those working 12 to 14 hours would find time to procreate, he responded, “During break times.”

“The preservation of the Russian people is our highest national priority,” Putin said, adding, “The fate of Russia depends on how many of us there will be. It is a question of national importance.”