- Uralvagonzavod plans to reduce its workforce by around 10% by early 2026 and halt new hiring, according to internal documents referenced in reporting.
- Workers say the actual reductions could reach up to 50% in some divisions, raising concerns about job losses among trained specialists.
A major reshuffle is underway at Uralvagonzavod, Russia’s largest tank manufacturer, after the company announced plans to sharply reduce staffing levels in the coming months.
The facility, a core supplier of armored vehicles to the Russian military, is preparing to cut up to 10 percent of its workforce by February 2026 and suspend new hiring, according to information cited by the Ukrainian defense outlet Militarnyi.
Internal documents referenced in the report indicate that a special commission has been formed to review candidates for dismissal. Employees selected for layoffs are expected to receive severance payments of up to three average monthly salaries.
However, workers at the enterprise say the actual scale of downsizing could be far more extensive than what is publicly acknowledged. Some factory personnel told that internal estimates suggest reductions of “up to 50% of the staff in several departments.” These employees said that highly trained specialists, including personnel with years of hands-on experience in defense manufacturing, are now at risk of losing their positions.
Uralvagonzavod is Russia’s flagship armored vehicle production facility and has been closely associated with the country’s tank output for decades. The plant manufactures and modernizes platforms including T-72, T-80, and T-90 series tanks. During the full-scale war in Ukraine, the facility has been portrayed in Russian state media as a symbol of industrial resilience and wartime readiness.
The company has not provided public clarification on which segments of production will be affected. One possibility, workers said, is that the reductions may fall primarily on the civilian division responsible for the production of rail freight cars. That side of the factory’s operations has been under pressure amid broader economic constraints, reduced domestic demand, and rising material costs.
But the employees’ concerns, cited in the reporting, raise questions about whether cuts could also touch the military division. If layoffs extend into the defense production chain, it would signal deeper issues with state financing or order flow. Despite ongoing wartime consumption of armored vehicles, Russia’s ability to sustain large-scale manufacturing depends on both steady industrial capacity and continued federal funding.
Uralvagonzavod’s situation appears to be part of a broader pattern of industrial strain in Russia’s manufacturing base. On October 26, the Ashinsky Metallurgical Plant in the Chelyabinsk region announced reductions in both production and staffing. That facility specializes in steel grades used in defense, aviation, nuclear, and petroleum sectors, indicating pressure across multiple strategic supply categories.
While Moscow has worked to increase wartime output and adapt civilian industry to military use, sustained high-intensity conflict places long-term strain on factories, suppliers, and workers. The ongoing need to replace battlefield losses also competes with financial limits and resource allocation priorities.