May 27, 2023

Weekend Warrior


Weekend Warrior
Office work. Unsplash, Alex Kotliarskyi.

According to a report by Izvestia, the Association of Entrepreneurs for the Development of Business Patriotism (AVANTI) has approached Anton Kotyakov, the head of the Ministry of Labor, with a proposition to implement a six-day workweek in Russia.

According to proponents of the initiative, prior to the imposition of the first wave of international sanctions in 2014, the Russian economy had maintained a consistent pattern of robust growth and had secured its position as one of the world's top five economies. However, the increase in restrictive measures (aka sanctions), has amplified burdens on the economic sector.

“Thanks to the clear actions of the government and the Central Bank," AVANTI said in its appeal, "the economy and the national currency of Russia not only withstood the blow, but also demonstrated resistance to stress. Nevertheless, at present, the need for additional investments in our financial and economic system remains.”

Thus, they go on to argue that an extension of the workweek would bolster the resilience of the Russian economy, facilitating a technological and industrial leap forward, while fortifying economic autonomy.

The association highlighted that Soviets worked six or seven days a week during WWII. After the war, the workday gradually decreased to seven hours with a six-day week, and in 1967, a five-day week with an eight-hour workday was implemented. In various Asian and European nations, such as Nepal and Iran, ther is a six-day workweek, and Belgium and Turkey both allow up to 48 hours in a work week.

On the other hand, at the end of March 2023, the State Duma proposed amending the Labor Code and introduced a shortened working week. Alexander Shershukov, deputy head of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Russia (FNPR), suggested that a shorter workweek could  safeguard employment opportunities

You Might Also Like

No Money, Only War
  • March 29, 2023

No Money, Only War

Russian authorities blame the "special military operation" for the disruption of infrastructural and social projects.
A Year of Decline
  • December 31, 2022

A Year of Decline

Russia’s War on Ukraine is exacting deep and enduring economic and social costs on the country.
While Supplies Last
  • December 20, 2022

While Supplies Last

Prices for Moscow real estate, usually a hot market, are down a record 35 percent.
The New Military Economy
  • October 23, 2022

The New Military Economy

Two days after declaring martial law in four Ukrainian regions, Vladimir Putin quietly put the Russian economy on a military footing.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.
Dostoyevsky Bilingual

Dostoyevsky Bilingual

Bilingual series of short, lesser known, but highly significant works that show the traditional view of Dostoyevsky as a dour, intense, philosophical writer to be unnecessarily one-sided. 
The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.
Fish: A History of One Migration

Fish: A History of One Migration

This mesmerizing novel from one of Russia’s most important modern authors traces the life journey of a selfless Russian everywoman. In the wake of the Soviet breakup, inexorable forces drag Vera across the breadth of the Russian empire. Facing a relentless onslaught of human and social trials, she swims against the current of life, countering adversity and pain with compassion and hope, in many ways personifying Mother Russia’s torment and resilience amid the Soviet disintegration.
Turgenev Bilingual

Turgenev Bilingual

A sampling of Ivan Turgenev's masterful short stories, plays, novellas and novels. Bilingual, with English and accented Russian texts running side by side on adjoining pages.
The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.  
At the Circus (bilingual)

At the Circus (bilingual)

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.
White Magic

White Magic

The thirteen tales in this volume – all written by Russian émigrés, writers who fled their native country in the early twentieth century – contain a fair dose of magic and mysticism, of terror and the supernatural. There are Petersburg revenants, grief-stricken avengers, Lithuanian vampires, flying skeletons, murders and duels, and even a ghostly Edgar Allen Poe.
Okudzhava Bilingual

Okudzhava Bilingual

Poems, songs and autobiographical sketches by Bulat Okudzhava, the king of the Russian bards. 

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955