Kathrine Frich
Factories need workers to keep production moving during a massive conflict.
When healthy citizens head to the front lines, governments have to find creative ways to keep the assembly lines running. Now, Moscow is turning to the survivors to fill the gap.
A new workforce
Russian President Vladimir Putin wants returning soldiers to build military hardware. The Moscow Times reported according to United24Media that he is pushing to hire disabled and wounded veterans.
The plan focuses heavily on defense plants and other major industrial sectors. Putin laid out the strategy during a recent meeting with machine builders.
He told executives and government officials that the country desperately needs their skills.
“Yes, the guys are fighting, they are proving themselves, but they need to be supported. We need to look for talented ones; there are many talented people there,” Putin said.
Building the machine
The government claims this shift will help secure domestic production. They also want to boost technological innovation across the entire country.
“I ask the government, the relevant ministries, and company executives to facilitate in the most active way the arrival of such people in the domestic defense-industrial complex and other industrial sectors,” Putin stated.
This order targets a massive pool of potential workers. The International Institute for Strategic Studies estimates that roughly 376,000 Russian troops suffered disabling wounds by the end of 2024.
The injuries are often devastating. A senior Russian official previously indicated that about half of those casualties involve amputations.
Heavy losses mount
The human toll continues to climb rapidly. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently highlighted the staggering battlefield losses.
Rubio noted on May 14 that Moscow sees up to 20,000 soldiers killed every single month. He also described the Ukrainian military as the strongest army in Europe.
Factory floors are not the only places feeling the pinch. The Russian police force is also struggling with massive staffing shortages.
Empty police stations
Earlier this year, Putin ordered the Ministry of Internal Affairs to start hiring returning troops. Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev warned of a massive crisis within his ranks.
He reported that the police force would fall short by 212,000 officers in 2025. Officers are quitting due to heavy workloads and poor pay.
From district policing to criminal investigations, empty desks are piling up. The government hopes war veterans can help stop the bleeding.
Sources: The Moscow Times, International Institute for Strategic Studies, Ministry of Internal Affairs
