Russia's fire service faces shortfall of more than 203,000 personnel

Russia's fire service is facing a staffing shortage of more than 203,000 personnel, according to a report published by the Ministry of Emergency Situations (EMERCOM) on the state of civil protection and emergency preparedness across the country.

The report shows that the Federal Fire Service (FFS) employed 386,830 personnel at the end of 2025, significantly below its authorised staffing level, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media.

The figures provide the first detailed insight into the scale of the shortage after Emergency Situations Minister Alexander Kurenkov stated in February 2026 that the service was understaffed by 34.5%, without disclosing the total number of vacant positions. Based on the ministry's latest data, the Federal Fire Service's authorised strength exceeds 590,000 personnel.

The report also indicates that staffing levels continued to decline over the past year. The Federal Fire Service employed 394,750 personnel in 2024, nearly 4,000 more than in 2025.

In addition to personnel shortages, the service's vehicle fleet has also shrunk. Response units operated nearly 64,100 vehicles in 2024, compared with 62,900 by the end of last year.

According to ministry data, the staffing crisis is particularly severe in several regions. The Republic of Udmurtia recorded the largest shortfall, with vacancies accounting for 35% of authorised positions, or more than 3,100 personnel. The Tula region reported a 30% shortage, equivalent to around 2,000 firefighters.

Other heavily affected areas include the Magadan region, which requires an additional 335 firefighters to fill a 27% staffing gap, and the Vladimir region, where more than 1,100 positions remain vacant, representing a 26% shortfall.

In Moscow, Kurenkov previously reported that emergency service units were operating with a staffing deficit of approximately 26%, or about 6,400 personnel.

The report also highlighted significant shortages in emergency service units operating in Russian-controlled territories of Ukraine, where staffing deficits range from 20% to 51%.

Russian authorities have identified low salaries as a key factor behind the recruitment challenges and are seeking to address the problem by expanding the use of military conscripts in the Fire and Rescue Service.

The staffing shortages have had a direct impact on emergency coverage across the country. According to the report, 10,600 settlements remained without adequate fire and emergency protection at the end of 2025.

Although the number of unprotected settlements has gradually declined in recent years, approximately 1.88 million people continue to live in areas without sufficient emergency response coverage, the ministry said.

By Sabina Mammadli