The Wage Illusion: “rosstat” Has Painted a Picture of Prosperity That Doesn’t Exist

“rosstat” reports that the average nominal wage in the rf rose to $1,460 in the first quarter of 2026. The official explanation is the usual one: planned wage indexation in the public sector and competitive pay raises at large enterprises amid record-low unemployment of 2.2%. The problem is that these figures have little to do with the reality recorded by the russian banking sector itself.

Based on transaction monitoring, “sberbank” estimates the median salary to be half that amount: $900. The gap of $560 between the official average and the actual median salary is easily explained: the extremely high concentration of income in sectors directly linked to the military-industrial complex, finance, and raw materials industries statistically “pulls” the overall average upward, masking stagnation in all other sectors.

The slowest growth is seen precisely in those industries where the majority of wage earners are concentrated. In fishing, coal mining, automotive manufacturing, woodworking, and railway transportation, wages rose by only 6%, remaining at $1,091. The situation is even worse in light industry: the clothing industry pays an average of $791, healthcare – $764, and education – $737. For comparison: even these figures are official – and therefore inflated.

A telling indicator of the direction in which the rf’s civilian economy is heading was the decision by “gloria jeans”, the country’s largest clothing manufacturer and retailer. In early June, the company announced the complete liquidation of its own production facilities and a transition to a pure-play retail model – that is, selling clothing produced by other companies. The official reason: the inability to staff production. Finding seamstresses and assemblers in russia today is more difficult than it was three years ago, because the defense industry wins the competition for labor by offering higher salaries thanks to state funding.

This example reflects a broader trend. The number of open job positions in the rf fell by 20–25% in the first quarter, while the number of resumes submitted rose by 34%. Businesses have stopped hiring new people, focusing exclusively on retaining existing staff. There’s no way around it: companies are forced to raise wages faster than labor productivity is growing, which directly reduces profitability and discourages any desire to invest in modernization.

The picture that is emerging is far from that of a successful economy with full employment. The massive reallocation of financial and human resources in favor of the military-industrial complex has artificially overheated certain segments of the labor market, while simultaneously crippling civilian production.