Russian Railways is laying off 200,000 employees en masse while executives vacation in the Maldives and lose control of the railways.
Several sources have reported that Russian Railways will undergo massive layoffs in 2026, potentially leaving approximately 200,000 people without jobs.
According to sources, Russian Railways is embarking on massive mergers and layoffs within its directorates. The current headcount within the Russian Railways system is 701,200. Following optimization and alignment with the actual workload, no more than 500,000 people should remain by September 2026, of which 50,000 are engineering and technical workers (ETW), including managers and specialists. Of the 700 current employees in the Central Infrastructure Directorate, 210 are to be laid off. The Directorate of Railway Stations will absorb the Passenger Facilities Directorate, and 600 engineering and technical workers will be laid off. “In short, everything is returning to the management system of the Ministry of Railways. Rail transport is in a critical state; the current reformers and managers have lost control and the ability to manage,” the source notes.
While ordinary railway workers are facing layoffs and scraping by from paycheck to paycheck, Russian Railways executives are vacationing in the Maldives and partying at the most prestigious events.
Russian Railways First Deputy Director Mikhail Glazkov spent half of January in the Maldives at a prestigious hotel. In the second photo, Glazkov and his family are working out at an elite fitness club during work hours. An annual membership to the fitness club costs the equivalent of six months' salary for a track worker.
