Russia begins involving children in hazardous industrial work
The Russian authorities are planning to allow teenagers as young as 16 to work at hazardous industrial workplaces.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation believes these changes will “allow enterprises to enter into agreements on paid internships with students from professional educational organizations.”
In reality, the goal of these changes is the Russian government’s desire to address shortage of manpower, particularly in military-industrial complex enterprises. This shortage has emerged due to the war against Ukraine, mobilization, and efforts to increase the production of weapons and other military products.
During the first half of this year, Russian employers sent job invitations to more than 3 million people aged 14 to 18.
Russian propaganda attempts to justify the involvement of adolescents in hazardous work by referencing examples from World War II and asserting the claim that “working in hazardous industries is safer for children than being on the street.”
The actions of the Russian authorities have once again demonstrated the Kremlin’s willingness to disregard its own citizens, including the well-being of children, in pursuit of its aggressive goals in Ukraine.
