Russia’s overdue wage debt nearly doubled in April from a year earlier and surged almost sixfold since the start of 2025, official statistics showed, in another sign of mounting financial strain on businesses and regional budgets as the economy slows.
Russia’s total unpaid wage arrears reached 2.879 billion rubles ($40.6 million) as of April, up 35% from the previous month and 94.3% year-on-year, according to data published by the state statistics service Rosstat.
The number of workers affected by delayed wage payments climbed to 19,000 at the start of May, doubling in a month and increasing 2.6-fold from a year earlier.
The figures point to growing financial stress across parts of the Russian economy after more than two years of wartime spending, sanctions pressure and high borrowing costs weighed on corporate profitability and regional finances.
While the overall level of wage arrears remains modest compared with previous Russian economic crises, economists said the rapid pace of growth was a worrying sign.
