Under strain from war, Russia plans a massive layoff in its public sector: report

Russia is expected to lay off at least 40,000 government officials next year, according to a report by the Russian Kommersant newspaper.

Russian President Vladimir Putin last month ordered regional branches of federal government agencies to cut staff by 10% by July, per the publication.

The layoffs were believed to be planned for much earlier but were put on hold for several years due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the COVID-19 pandemic.