Human capital research is the main direction of fundamental and applied science. In the face of unprecedented sanctions pressure, building up and strengthening human capital is the most important task of ensuring the sustainability of Russian economy. The article emphasizes the creative role of human capital and analyzes its potential in Russia on the basis of international comparisons. The purpose of the article is to assess the potential of human capital and identify ways to strengthen it under sanctions. It is shown that the key components of the potential of human capital are its physical stock, expressed by quantitative characteristics of the number, age composition, as well as qualitative characteristics, such as the level of education, research and inventive activity. Since the scientific content of the concept of "potential" implies an assessment of the accumulated stock and the possibilities of its use, the article proposes to introduce a population density indicator, which makes it possible to assess the possibilities of future development of territories by attracting human capital. The results of the assessment of human capital have made it possible to note the improvement in the quality of human capital in recent years. However, the sanctions imposed against Russia necessitate accelerated measures to strengthen human capital. To this end, the article proposes a number of appropriate measures that, according to the author, will contribute to the increment of the potential of Russian human capital for the sustainability and innovative development of the economy. The need to promote the resettlement of compatriots not only from the countries of the former USSR, but also from other countries in every possible way was noted. For this purpose, measures are proposed to improve the mechanisms of its implementation.