The Emergency Ministry Is Short More Than a Third of Its Firefighters

The Emergency Ministry is short more than a third of its firefighters

As of the end of 2025, the Federal Fire Service was short at least 203,750 employees (34.5% of the required number). This is stated in an Emergency Ministry report reviewed by Important Stories.

Because of the staffing shortage, 10,600 settlements were left without fire protection. The biggest shortages among firefighters are in Udmurtia (35% of positions unfilled) and Tula Oblast (30%). In Moscow, the staffing shortfall is 26%.

The total number of firefighters in 2025 fell by about 2.2% compared with 2024. The outflow of personnel is attributed to low salaries. On average across the country, firefighters earn about 38,500 rubles.

In recent months, fires have regularly broken out at industrial facilities in Russia, including oil refineries. The blazes are happening because of more frequent strikes by Ukrainian drones.

@meduzalive