Coal miners in the Kemerovo region have been ordered to pay off wage arrears to miners.

The court ordered the Severny Kuzbass coal company to pay 50 employees back wages. This is more than 8,2 million rubles in payment of debt to employees, as well as almost 660 thousands compensation and 546 thousands moral damage.

“The prosecutor’s appeal to the court was based on collective complaints from workers,” The press center of the regional courts explained. “During the trial, it was established that the debt to the employees accumulated over a period of one to three months.”

Severny Kuzbass includes the Berezovskaya and Pervomayskaya mines, as well as the Severnaya coal processing plant. Despite the company's dire straits amid the industry crisis, its coal production continues. Management states that all proceeds from fuel sales are used to pay off debts.

At the same time, the total debt of Severny Kuzbass to its employees reached 145 million rubles. In December, regional investigators opened a criminal case.

Kemerovo region The region is Russia's main coal-producing region and has been experiencing a protracted crisis for the second year, caused by falling global prices for extracted minerals and sanctions. Despite billions in state budget support, as of last fall, 75% of coal companies were operating with negative profitability, and miners reported months-long wage arrears.

At least 19 coal mines in Kuzbass have suspended operations. In January, coal production, processing, and exports declined by 7% to 15,5% compared to the same period last year. The local budget will lose 36 billion rubles in taxes by the end of 2025.

The day before, the Telegram channel Mash reported that more than 6000 miners were left unemployed due to plant closures. The official figure for February was slightly lower, but still significant: around 4000 miners quit or were laid off in the past year alone, according to the regional Ministry of Coal Industry.

The coal crisis has also affected other regions of Russia - in Yakutia A criminal case for non-payment of wages was opened against the coal mining company AntratsitInvestProekt. According to the Investigative Committee, the debt to 600 employees amounts to more than 196 млн rubles.