Elena Kovalenko19:32, 06/17/23

The Russian car manufacturer AvtoVAZ is facing a critical labor shortage.

Against the background of massive anti-Russian sanctions imposed in connection with the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the largest Russian car manufacturer AvtoVAZ faced a critical shortage of labor.

According to the head of the company, Maxim Sokolov, AvtoVAZ intends to involve Russians sentenced to forced labor in the assembly of cars, the Russian RBC reports .

According to Sokolov, this decision was due to a shortage of labor. In total, the company expects to attract about four thousand employees to production by 2024. How many of them will be convicted is unknown.

“Well, maybe hundreds, maybe one hundred, maybe two hundred,” the head of the company said. However, as the Russian Interfax clarifies , out of the total amount of necessary labor resources, up to 50% of the total need can be covered by those sentenced to forced labor.

Currently, the company is in demand for 19 types of specialists: mechanics of mechanical assembly works, operators of metalworking equipment, blacksmiths-punchers and painters.

The total volume of necessary labor resources by September 2023 will be 1.1 thousand people, by January 2024 – about 2.9 thousand more people.

The collapse of the Russian car industry

After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, sales of Lada cars fell by 19.4%. On March 16, 2022, due to the lack of spare parts, AvtoVAZ announced a  corporate vacation .

On January 30, 2023, AvtoVAZ announced that it would produce Lada cars in only three colors. This decision was  due to a shortage of paint  due to the sanctions imposed against the aggressor. It was reported that the cars could be ordered in white, black and dark green. Previously, cars were available in six to eight colors.

In March 2023, it was reported that Russians were complaining about too high car prices. Even the price of the Russian Moskvich, the parts for which are supplied by the Chinese company JAC, has become unbearable. Prices for Lada Granta, the most popular car in the Russian Federation, start at 680 thousand rubles.

Employees of AvtoVAZ went on corporate leave from May 29 , which will last until June 19.

(C)UNIAN 2023