Russia Faces Rising Layoffs: Over 100,000 Workers at Risk as Cuts Accelerate

The number of employees planned for layoffs has been steadily increasing since mid-last year. As of April 1, the number of workers recommended for dismissal reached 105,147 people, according to data from Rostru d presented at a meeting of the Russian Tripartite Commission on April 22. A month earlier, the figure stood at 104,775, and in February it was 100,397. In June of last year, 73,572 people held this status, meaning that over 10 months the number of employees slated for layoffs grew by 43%, The Vedomosti reports.

The largest number of layoffs is expected in Moscow, the Omsk and Irkutsk regions, Krasnoyarsk Territory, and the Moscow region, according to Rostru d data. Employees most frequently on the brink of dismissal worked in financial management and taxation activities, hospitals, government bodies, and local administration dealing with general and socio-economic issues.

The latest data from Rosstat shows a 59% year-on-year increase in layoffs in the fourth quarter of 2025. During this period, organizations (excluding small and medium-sized businesses) dismissed 32,600 employees compared to 20,500 in the fourth quarter of 2024.

Staff optimization is already taking place in 13% of organizations, according to SuperJob data. However, mass layoffs were carried out or planned in February by only 2% of companies. In the first quarter, businesses preferred to retain employees due to labor shortages, according to a survey of employers conducted by the job search service SuperJob on March 23. Instead, companies increasingly introduced part-time work schedules or reduced working weeks.