Russian Manufacturer Gagaring Offers Jobs to Volkswagen Employees Facing Layoffs

MOSCOW, July 9. /TASS/. Following Volkswagen’s announcement that it planned to lay off 100,000 people in the next decade, Russian electronics and robotics manufacturer Gagaring reached out to them, saying that it was willing to offer them stable, long-term employment..

"Your experience and the Volkswagen school of engineering are invaluable, and we are ready to offer you a concrete opportunity," said Alexander Barashkov, head of the Gagaring design bureau, in an open address to German engineers.

For those who accept the offer, the laboratory guarantees permanent employment contracts, a competitive salary, and comprehensive relocation support for specialists and their families. "We aren’t offering castles in the air, but stability," a Gagaring representative noted.

Volkswagen is facing a systemic crisis. According to Der Spiegel, citing sources on the company’s supervisory board, plans are to halt production at the Zwickau and Emden plants in 2031, at the Hanover plant in 2032, and at the Neckarsulm facility operated by VW subsidiary Audi in 2034. Around 40,000 people are currently employed at these facilities. Additionally, VW aims to cut another 50,000 jobs by 2030. The group has already been forced to close its plant in Dresden.

The proposal from the Russian manufacturer of advanced electronics and robotic systems has not gone unnoticed in Germany. In particular, the publication Journalistenwatch laments that "the very fact that such an appeal was published says a great deal: Germany’s deindustrialization moving forward full steam, and Berlin’s geopolitical rivals are increasingly exploiting this development for their own strategic ends." "Until recently, a German engineer moving to the Russian defense or high-tech sector would have been unlikely from political or social standpoints. However, a tight labor market and fears of mass unemployment could shift long-standing taboos," according to the publication.