Russia's workforce crisis: Teenagers tapped amid war losses
A million men have been involved in the war in Ukraine, resulting in at least 100,000 deaths and 500,000 being left disabled. Despite this, thousands of Russians enlist in the military daily, lured by the prospect of substantial social benefits in rubles. Concurrently, the Russian industry is grappling with an unprecedented workforce shortage.
Owing to these industrial challenges, permission has been sought to employ teenagers in heavy and hazardous work environments. Boys as young as 16 could potentially find employment in mines, chemical processing facilities, iron and non-ferrous metal smelting plants, power stations, and refineries. The Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade has asked for the removal of the 24-year ban on those under 18 working in such conditions.
The TASS agency reports the proposed regulatory amendments, while regional Russian portals highlight the acute staff shortages, particularly in the provinces. As a consequence of the war with Ukraine, the Russian economy has lost as many as 1.7 million workers, constituting several per cent of the national workforce, according to Novaya Gazeta. Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova did not directly address the war but acknowledged a "staffing crisis" in the industry and proposed creating jobs for vocational school students.
- It's a significant economic indicator that the Russian industry is feeling the impact of the war, burdened and potentially unable to maintain military production as efficiently as before. The exact Russian losses in the Ukraine war are unknown, with only estimations available. Many of the mobilised men who survived may not return to the job market due to psychological trauma - comments Dr. Adam Karpiński, an economist at WSB Merito University in Wrocław, Poland.
The expert also notes that Russia is losing human resources not only from war casualties but also due to emigration and avoidance of conscription. Since February 2022, around 700,000 men have left the country - reports The Moscow Times. Over 100,000 Russians are now in Armenia, 80,000 in Kazakhstan, and 74,000 in Georgia.
- The decision to hire 16-year-olds is extreme. It seems the Kremlin might be preparing for another wave of male mobilisation and is already considering replacements. It evokes memories of Stalin's era when the entire country operated like a labour camp. The question is whether Russia will now become akin to a gulag - adds Dr. Karpiński.
A new phenomenon shakes Russia. Lack of men for work
The Russian Ministry of Labour forecasts a shortage of 2.4 million workers by 2030, as reported by The Moscow Times. This issue is already noticeable in regions hardest hit by war casualties. The Kremlin is attempting to safeguard large urban populations in the European part of Russia, a move described as a restructuring of the social structure.
- The Russian Federation's authorities enacted mobilisation within Russia and the occupied Ukrainian territories, disregarding potential economic disruptions. Drafts included workers from strategic sectors, resulting in unsurprising negative effects - commented Dr. Michał Marek from the Centre for Research on Contemporary Security Environment, author of the monograph "Operation Ukraine" for Wirtualna Polska.
Buses stop running in Russia. Drivers fell in war
By the summer of 2024, Sergey Kuznetsov, head of the Novokuznetsk administration (population of approximately 500,000 in Siberia), suggested forming a women's battalion to mitigate the city's municipal worker shortages. Women were encouraged to drive buses for a salary of 100,000 rubles a month. A quarter of the city's buses were out of service due to a lack of drivers.
The regional portal SibRealli reported that the issue resulted from mobilisation. Drivers "travelled to the Northern Military District under contract." The battalion was not established. Only around 30 women, a platoon at most, attended a meeting with the mayor.
Authorities in Tomsk, Krasnoyarsk, and Novosibirsk face similar challenges. In January 2024, an announcement brought media attention to Aleksey Zarubin from Ulan-Ude, named "Russia's best bus driver." He died in Ukraine.
More than a year ago, staff shortages became evident in the heating plants and gasworks of the self-declared Donetsk People's Republic. Outside the heating season, young workers were mobilised and sent to the front. In the Battle of Avdiivka, 120 out of 400 heating plant workers and 300 out of 900 gas workers did not return.
The Russian authorities have classified data on the number of dead and injured. However, opposition media have estimated war casualties based on the increase in the number of disabled people and local budget data for payments to contract soldiers. The Verstka service suggested up to 500,000 men were left disabled during the war, and more than 100,000 were killed.
According to sociologists, in recent decades, Russians perceived military service as a last option for men lacking qualifications and prospects for better employment. With no major wars to engage in, most remained stationed at bases. The war in Ukraine altered the fate of those wanting to fight, elevating their social status. Vladimir Putin's political stronghold offered veterans over 300 places on electoral lists during the regional elections to councils in 2024. The president himself announced that participants in the "special operation" are set to form a new elite amongst authorities.
