200,000 Risk Losing Jobs in Moscow Over Sanctions – Mayor

200,000 Russians are about to lose their jobs because of the war against Ukraine.

It was gathered that the number representing employees of foreign companies in Moscow could lose their jobs due to sanctions over Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine, the city’s mayor said on Monday.

“According to our estimates, about 200,000 people are at risk of losing their jobs,” Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said in a blog post.

He said authorities had last week approved a $41-million program to support employment in the Russian capital.

“First of all, the program is aimed at employees of foreign companies that have temporarily suspended their operations or decided to leave Russia,” Sobyanin said.

Hundreds of mainly Western companies have announced the suspension of their activities or their departure from Russia after President Vladimir Putin sent troops to Ukraine on Feb. 24.

Sobyanin said the newly approved program was expected to support more than 58,000 people who have lost their jobs. Around 12,500 of them will undergo retraining, he added.

People in between jobs will be offered to get involved in public works in a number of city organizations, parks and elsewhere, Sobyanin added.