MOSCOW, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- For the first time, the average life expectancy in Russia exceeded 72 years in the first half of 2017, the country's deputy prime minister said Monday.
"In the first half of 2017, the average life expectancy in Russia has reached 72.4 for the first time," Deputy Prime Minister Olga Golodets was quoted by TASS news agency as saying.
The average life expectancy grew by six months compared with 2016, she added.
According to Golodets, consistent work aimed at decreasing the mortality was the key factor behind the life expectancy growth. In the first half of 2017, the mortality rate had decreased to 12.9 per 1,000 people compared with 13.2 in the same period of 2016.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said in March that the average life expectancy in Russia reached 71.8 years in 2016 and would increase to 76 years by 2025.
