Over 30 Million Russians Live below Breadline

Over 30 million people in Russia have incomes below the breadline, according to Russian Deputy Minister for Labour and Social Development Galina Karelova. The minister was speaking at a round-table conference in Moscow called 'Social security: the fundamentals of social policy'. She said that the minimum income needed to survive in Russia is, on average, about USD 65 per month.

Karelova stressed that the fight against poverty is currently one of Russia's most important social tasks, adding that 30 million people is a significant proportion of the population (currently around 143 million). 'These people are unable to eat normally, buy clothes, study or receive medical treatment,' said Karelova.