Russian border
People carrying luggage walk past the Russian side of the border toward the Nizhniy Lars customs checkpoint between Georgia and Russia on September 25, 2022.
  • Russia is experiencing a severe labour shortage.
  • But contradictory policies are worsening the situation, a think tank said. 
  • Russia is deterring potential workers by trying to send them to fight in Ukraine. 

Russia is wrestling with a labor crisis — but making it even worse by sending highly-skilled workers to war, a think tank said.