A wave of protests is sweeping Russia over wage issues
Protest sentiment is growing in Russia amid delays in wage payments, low incomes, excessive workloads, and violations of labor rights. Workers in various regions of the country are increasingly going on strike and demanding payment of the wages they have earned.
According to intelligence reports, wage arrears in Russia have risen by nearly 80% over the past year. This is exacerbating social tensions and sparking new protests among workers.
The Kremlin is attempting to contain the discontent through administrative and repressive measures, but the situation is becoming systemic.
According to the SSU, as of early summer, wage arrears in the Russian Federation had reached 3 billion rubles. Compared to the same period last year, this figure has increased by nearly 1.3 billion rubles, or 78.1%.
The report emphasizes that the problem has long since ceased to be limited to specific sectors of the economy and now affects virtually the entire country. In particular, this year, drivers for the company “Avtokolona 17” in Tuva went on strike over unpaid wages. Subsequently, for the same reasons, employees of “Severputstroy”—a contractor for “Vorkutaugol”—halted the movement of trains carrying finished products.
Another example is the situation at “Vladimirsky Standard,” one of Russia’s largest meat-processing plants, which suspended operations in the second half of July. According to the SZRU, about 200 employees have resigned from the plant in the last month alone, and nearly 4,000 people have been left without wages.
According to Ukrainian intelligence, the situation is particularly critical in the healthcare sector. Despite official statements by Russian authorities claiming a shortage of 23,000 doctors and 63,000 mid-level medical staff, these figures do not reflect the true scale of the staffing crisis.
According to the SSU, nearly 40% of medical professionals’ working hours consist of overtime, while 39% of nurses and 38% of doctors are forced to work simultaneously at two or even three medical facilities to compensate for the staff shortage.
The report notes that the accumulation of economic problems and the deterioration of the social situation are increasingly fueling public discontent, which the Kremlin is currently trying to contain through force and administrative measures.
Due to rising military spending, labor shortages, and the pressure of sanctions, the Russian economy is facing ever-greater challenges. Ukrainian intelligence and Western analysts have repeatedly reported on delayed salaries, staff shortages, and the deteriorating financial situation of enterprises in various regions of the Russian Federation.
This was reported with reference to the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine.
The Baltic states have lodged a protest with Russia over the spread of disinformation.
Russian propaganda launched yet another large-scale disinformation campaign following a massive combined strike on Ukraine on the night of June 15, which claimed the lives of civilians and destroyed the Assumption Cathedral of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.
Russian propaganda outlets claimed to have captured the village of Ivolzhanske in the Sumy region. At the same time, the Ukrainian side refutes these claims, emphasizing that the information about these “successes” is fabricated and does not correspond to reality. This was reported on June 24 by the Communications Center of the “Kursk” military group, citing Ukrainian military sources.
