Deripaska proposed forcing Russians to work 12 hours a day, six days a week

Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska has proposed introducing a six-day, 72-hour workweek, with hours from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. According to the businessman, such a transition is necessary to accelerate the transformation of the economy amid a deep crisis that has gone beyond the consequences of tight monetary policy or the dismantling of legal institutions. 

Deripaska wrote in a Telegram post that the country’s only available resource right now is the population’s ability to work harder during difficult times, since the world has changed for all nations starting this year.

Earlier, the billionaire had already proposed emergency measures amid the conflict in the Middle East, specifically devaluing the ruble to 105 per dollar and lowering the key rate to 6%. He noted that the war surrounding Iran will not benefit Russia, despite rising energy prices, as it will lead to a prolonged slowdown in the global economy. Deripaska believes that only through the maximum mobilization of labor resources will the country be able to adapt to the new conditions. Currently, the proposal to establish a 72-hour workweek remains under discussion among experts amid prolonged economic instability.

Russian aluminum giant Rusal, founded by billionaire Oleg Deripaska, reported a net annual loss for the first time since 2014. By the end of 2025, the company—which operates 12 plants and is the largest aluminum producer outside of China—had lost $455 million.

Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska deleted from his Telegram channel all posts published before November 1, 2025, which contained significant criticism of Russia’s policies.