As reported by Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine
In Altai Krai, Russia, demand for workers in the civilian manufacturing sector has fallen sharply: enterprises are reducing production, cutting jobs, and lowering wages. Such data come from intelligence analysis as part of an assessment of the region’s economic situation.
For the first nine months of 2025, the volume of open and updated vacancies in the region fell by 23% compared with the same period in 2024, while the number of new or updated resumes rose by 41%. In the industrial sector, the number of vacancies decreased by 6%.
The main reason is the reduction in civilian production and a decline in investment activity. In the first eight months of 2025, industrial production in the region fell by 3.2%.
The trend is in line with the overall picture: Russia’s heavy and automotive industries are reducing civilian production and transferring workers to a four-day workweek. The most challenging situation is in the machine-building, chemical, and metallurgy sectors. At the same time, the defense industry remains the only sector that continues to hire workers.
Defense share of the economy and the consequences for the civilian sector
Analysts note that the defense-industrial complex is draining resources and personnel from the civilian economy, leaving it without development or prospects. Regions live on military orders, and a reduction in war funding could trigger a crisis for the region’s economy.
According to regional data, some of the largest industrial companies are sending workers on leave or reducing staff due to the slowdown in the military economy, stagnation of domestic demand, and the decline in exports.
Looking ahead, regional enterprises are seeking ways to adapt: reviewing costs, changing schedules, and preserving qualified personnel for a future recovery cycle after demand stimulation and financing.
The overall dynamics indicate significant risks for the civilian sector: the region’s economy remains dependent on military orders and sensitive to external factors of demand and financing. Therefore, in the near term, one should expect stabilization of employment and changes in the production structure depending on macro-level developments.
