Unemployed population in Russia over 2 mn: Ministry

The latest data on the number of unemployed in Russia officially released by employment agencies is 2,198,700, the country's Health and Social Development Ministry has said.  

Over the past week, the number of the unemployed has grown by 1.6 per cent, it said adding that the Kaliningrad, Yaroslavl, Moscow, Bryansk regions and the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area have reported the highest unemployment rates.  

Since October 2008, the number of fired workers has risen to 293,692, including 95,948 workers who were given new jobs, with more than half of the new jobs found at their former enterprises.  

The overall number of workers suspended from work as a result of the administration's neglect, part-time workers and workers ordered on forced vacation totaled 1.184 million, the Health and Social Development Ministry said with reference to the results reported by 30,699 organizations from all territories of the Russian Federation.