Wage arrears in Russia reached 1.95 billion rubles: who is owed the most and why

Overdue wage arrears in Russia reached 1.95 billion rubles by the end of September 2025, an 18.6% increase from the previous month. Compared to September 2024, the amount of debt quadrupled, UNN reports with reference to the Foreign Intelligence Service.

DetailsAccording to intelligence data, about 75% of unpaid wages account for debts that arose specifically in 2025, and another 20% for 2024. The main reason remains the lack of own funds in enterprises. The largest debts have accumulated in construction (44%), mining (17.5%), and manufacturing (11.6%).

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Problems with business liquidity are also reflected in tax statistics. In the first half of 2025, the Russian Federal Tax Service filed claims in courts for the collection of taxes and fees totaling 15 billion rubles – seven times more than in the same period last year. Companies are increasingly less likely to pay tax debts voluntarily, which forces tax authorities to seek compulsory collection. The deterioration of business solvency is exacerbated by the slowing economy, expensive loans, and sanctions pressure. According to data for January-July, the balanced profit of companies decreased by 8%, or approximately 1.5 trillion rubles in monetary terms. Every fourth enterprise reports a sharp increase in non-payments from counterparties 

Against the backdrop of a sharp decline in business profitability, the Kremlin continues to raise taxes, trying to collect more money to “patch up” the budget. But the attempt turns into a vicious circle: the tax base shrinks, companies close or go underground, and the authorities are forced to raise taxes again to compensate for losses. Paradoxically, at the same time, Russia plans to issue loans to other states totaling 1.8 trillion rubles (over $18 billion) – even though debts are growing inside the country and the economy is choking from a lack of money, the intelligence service summarized.

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