Support The Moscow Times!

Siberian Miners Ask Putin to Intervene in Hunger Strike

19rus.info

Dozens of miners in the Khakassia region of Russia's resourch-rich Siberia have gone on hunger strike in protest against unpaid salaries, a local news service reported Monday.

The workers are demanding three months in unpaid wages, according to the Khakasia news agency.

“We want open and transparent information about the situation, instead of the murky one [we have] now,” one of the protestors, Stepan Vorontsov, was quoted as saying.

The protestors are also looking for a meeting with President Vladimir Putin, who is expected to visit the region in early September, the report said.

Over 50 miners are reportedly involved in the strike, which has lasted for a week.

Regional chief Viktor Zimin blamed the current crisis on the company that runs the mines, Yevrazruda, accusing it of abandoning unprofitable mines and their workers, Khakasia news portal reported. No comment from the company was immediately available.

“Only President Putin” can resolve the issue now, Zimin said, according to Khakassia.

Putin put an end to a similar strike at the Vostochny Cosmodrome earlier this year after workers appealed to him during his annual live-call in show.

Protests by miners and other workers over unpaid wages were common during the economic turmoil of the 1990s.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more