Russia asks prisoners to fill IT vacancies following worker exodus

[midian182]

WTF?! What's a government to do when its country is faced with a shortage of IT workers? Look to tech-savvy prisoners, of course. That's the path Russia is being forced to take due to so many of its computer experts leaving the country following the invasion of Ukraine.

Krebs on Security reports that the Russian Federal Penitentiary Service last month announced it planned to use incarcerated IT specialists sentenced to forced labor as remote workers for domestic commercial companies, a plan that had been proposed by Russian businessmen struggling to fulfill IT roles.

Russian state media reports that almost 95,000 IT vacancies have remained unfulfilled in Russia since March 21. And while that is 25% lower than the previous month, the shrinkage is only due to companies postponing projects following budgetary reviews—Western sanctions undoubtedly played a part, too.

The Russian Association for Electronic Communications (RAEC) estimates that between 70,000 and 100,000 IT specialists will leave Russia for overseas destinations, with the USA, Germany, Georgia, Cyprus, and Canada the most attractive locations.

The BBC says Russia's prison system is currently home to almost 875,000 inmates. That's around 615 inmates for every 100,000 citizens, the second-highest in the world behind the US and its 737 prisoners per 100,000 people. Exactly how many Russian inmates are IT literate is unknown.

According to RBC, the Russian Federal Penitentiary Service uses forced labor across 117 correctional centers in organizations within 76 Russian regions. The average salary of those sentenced is about 20,000 rubles per month, or around $281.

In other Russian news, we heard earlier this week that Russian troops in Ukraine had stolen $5 million worth of John Deere farm vehicles from the country but found they had been remotely disabled, rendering the equipment useless.

Masthead image: MemoryMan

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/94473-russia-asks-prisoners-fill-vacancies-following-worker-exodus.html

 

[dangh]

So now what's left is to arrest and put to the prison all IT specialists (especially those who wants to leave the country) - problem solved!
(actually... knowing it is russia I wouldn't be surprised to see that happening...)

 

[kapital98]

"Forced labor" is a really nice term for slavery. Even "indentured servitude".

 

[ypsylon]

"Forced labor" is a really nice term for slavery. Even "indentured servitude".

That's why Gulag system still exist today - not under same name, but there are dozens upon dozens of backbreaking forced labor caps (penal colonies) in Russia, nobody really knowns how many (official data is well for gullible or naïve). You have to understand that under Lenin/Stalin and now Putin USSR/Russia essentially lacks capital and industrial prowess for economic power projection and development. So you need to fill that void with something. And that something was/is human life.

It's not a secret that in both China and Russia human life was/is worth less than handful of sand.

BTW: "indentured servitude"... that's so Mass Effect-like although Illium version certainly is not the same as Putler.

 

[emmzo]

I imagine Putin talking to his ministers:
- I thought we had a ton of IT specialists.
- Sir, those are called "trolls".

 

[Dimitriid]

"Forced labor" is a really nice term for slavery. Even "indentured servitude".

I agree. But why do you think 3 strikes and mandatory convictions for people that just had a little weed on them is any different? The war on crime, the war on drugs, the overwhelming spending on the hyper militarized police force all working together to put as many citizens in the system so they can also be put through the US "indentured servitude" jail system

And before anyone gets cute yes: I am being critical of both brutal authoritarian regimes, all of them, on both sides of this Ukraine war.

 

[noel24]

Does anyone remember how Putin shamed poor Michael Dell, telling Him that every m*r*n can slap few parts together, building a PC, but nobody have coders like Russia? Well, not anymore, It seems.

 

[dangh]

I agree. But why do you think 3 strikes and mandatory convictions for people that just had a little weed on them is any different?

Your logical fallacy is: Whataboutery. Which is pretty normal for russians, we need to remember the phrase: "A u vas negrov linchuyut" ("And you are lynching Negroes") used all the time when west was pointing human rights violation in CCP. It was stupid argument then, as '3 strikes' argument makes no sense here. Except keeping 'whataboutism' alive.

And before anyone gets cute yes: I am being critical of both brutal authoritarian regimes, all of them, on both sides of this Ukraine war.

I don't think you understand what 'brutal authoritarian regime' means, or rather - you intentionally using this words to appear neutral, while you're strongly supporting putler. It is normal given your descent, but still trying to call Ukraine a 'brutal authoritarian regime' is simply insolent and ignorant.
I'm sure you as well were touched when Russia 'freed' Transnistria (thankfully for just a year but still keep their special forces there), ignited Abkhasian war, Chechen war (twice) and 'freeing' their people (and lands), then 'protecting population' in Georgian ossetia (poor people didn't know they were opressed, except trained agents...), invasion of Syria in order to keep their friend Assad at power (because authoritarian regime listen to puttler is very important, that's why loss of Yanukovych pissed him so much... - and yes, Yanukovych was aiming to get same position as Lukachenko), and of course Ukraine (because why not, if Yanukowych can't be a putler pet then lets do russia).
In the meantime Ukraine surely comitted similar atrocities, because ... hmmm.... they didn't allow 'little green men' to destabilise country and separate their own land.
But... 'everyone is equally guilty' as Pope said (about priests peadophile crimes /s).
... sorry, but that is a solid BS. Even China already thinking on how to best split russia and just educate them a bit, and that is saying a lot.

I really hope you at least get paid.

 

[dangh]

Does anyone remember how Putin shamed poor Michael Dell, telling Him that every m*r*n can slap few parts together, building a PC, but nobody have coders like Russia? Well, not anymore, It seems.

They really never had. Sure, there are great coders, but not better than any other countries, and strict technical education and poverty made a lot of people with coding skills very solid logically (and very biased for stealing/hacking/dark net and so on as money is the main and only value in there - hence oligarhy).
I think if russia were able to get rid of their tzar/communistic background and really utilise potential of their people we would have a great open and strong country. We would see some technical brakout comming from their universities, but... all we see are russian orcs, rapists and looters let loose to different countries. That's a real pity and my russian colelagues whose deeds are overshadowed by putler *****s often feel ashemed. Lets hope this madness will end and we will see some real good stuff afterwards.

 

[Buhaj]

"asks"

 

[kapital98]

I agree. But why do you think 3 strikes and mandatory convictions for people that just had a little weed on them is any different? The war on crime, the war on drugs, the overwhelming spending on the hyper militarized police force all working together to put as many citizens in the system so they can also be put through the US "indentured servitude" jail system

And before anyone gets cute yes: I am being critical of both brutal authoritarian regimes, all of them, on both sides of this Ukraine war.

We're in agreement.

 

[RudyBob]

That's funny. The US needs MORE prisoners. Build prisons and get those people off my streets. Think I am joking? Go watch any of a number of videos on various sites that show people being bad, mean, destructive, etc

 

[Geralt]

Western propaganda vs Russian propaganda. I trust neither. After the end of the war, little by little, we'll know the real truth about everything.

 

[wiyosaya]

That's funny. The US needs MORE prisoners. Build prisons and get those people off my streets. Think I am joking? Go watch any of a number of videos on various sites that show people being bad, mean, destructive, etc

Personally, I don't think you are joking. Now with marijuana becoming legal in most states and possibly even at the federal level, what are they going to do to make up the debt of prisoners that legal marijuana will make? Oh, I know the answer: Women (mostly poverty stricken women, that is) and doctors who have had/performed abortions.

 

[TomSEA]

Western propaganda vs Russian propaganda. I trust neither. After the end of the war, little by little, we'll know the real truth about everything.

Western propaganda - you can check numerous resources to verify. Russian propaganda on the other hand? Comes from one source - whatever Putin tells you it is.

 

[Geralt]

Western propaganda - you can check numerous resources to verify. Russian propaganda on the other hand? Comes from one source - whatever Putin tells you it is.

I trust neither, I repeat. Both are full of fake news.

 

[bviktor]

Western propaganda vs Russian propaganda. I trust neither. After the end of the war, little by little, we'll know the real truth about everything.

We already know the truth, you just opt to ignore it because it looks inconvenient.

 

[TomSEA]

I trust neither, I repeat. Both are full of fake news.

That's an easy cop-out.

 

[Geralt]

We already know the truth, you just opt to ignore it because it looks inconvenient.

Oh yes, the truth comes from CNN, BBC, etc. According to those media, Ukrainians are so victorious that they are practically reaching Moscow next week. I read them but I never trust all that. And I don't read Russian propaganda because it is the opposite BS.

 

[Alfatawi Mendel]

Shameful clickbaitery. Let's try and keep politics out of tech sites eh Rob? There's enough bullshit in the MSM to feed the hungriest trolls.

 

[RudyBob]

Personally, I don't think you are joking. Now with marijuana becoming legal in most states and possibly even at the federal level, what are they going to do to make up the debt of prisoners that legal marijuana will make? Oh, I know the answer: Women (mostly poverty stricken women, that is) and doctors who have had/performed abortions.

Not Joking at all. Lock them up

 

[TheBigT42]

Russia "asks" prisoners to fill IT vacancies following worker exodus

 

[AlaskaGuy]

Western propaganda vs Russian propaganda. I trust neither. After the end of the war, little by little, we'll know the real truth about everything.

This ^^

 

[BadThad]

What a sign of desperation! Adding scumbags to your workforce, what could go wrong? LOLOLOL

 

[J Oelschl]

What a sign of desperation! Adding scumbags to your workforce, what could go wrong? LOLOLOL

Those "scumbags" were most likely political prisoners that spoke out against the powers that be unfortunately. However, I still agree with your"what could go wrong" as if forced to code they could put nefarious code or worse to whatever project they are working on. If someone has to micromanage and inspect every line of code that each one of these workers produce then you have gained nothing by having these workers.