Head of Russian Post Claims Courier Salary of 300,000 Rubles Is Excessive

Mikhail Volkov, the head of «Post of Russia,» stated in a media interview that he believes the salary of a courier amounting to 300,000 rubles is excessive. The organization is working on creating a unified service for sharing couriers, which aims to reduce the wages for delivery personnel compared to those with higher qualifications. The intention is that this new service will provide affordable labor to companies, which would alleviate the need for them to offer high salaries to couriers.

According to Volkov, a salary range of 200,000 to 300,000 rubles is detrimental to both the business and the couriers themselves. He emphasized that “anyone in logistics knows that 300,000 rubles is too much for a courier, regardless of the player in the market. This is unfavorable for everyone.” He sees paying couriers 200,000-300,000 rubles as promoting competition for talent within the sector. However, there is a shortage of workforce in logistics, especially during peak seasons when courier earnings rise significantly.

Volkov suggests that a more sensible solution would be to develop a digital platform that allows various companies to tap into a shared network of couriers. «Post of Russia» is currently collaborating with other market players on this project.

He also mentioned that «Post of Russia» has its own courier service employing 1,600 couriers and is actively expanding this area for specific delivery types. He acknowledged the ongoing labor shortage, particularly in logistics, mentioning how courier salaries can soar to 300,000 rubles during high-season spikes, which he regards as an inappropriate situation.

In April 2025, the Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation reported that the operations of «Post of Russia» are incurring losses and failing to address goals related to the development and accessibility of postal services in the country.

The Chamber’s report indicated a lack of an effective business strategy at «Post of Russia.» Auditor Daniil Shilkov, whose remarks were included in the agency’s statement, pointed out that although the development strategy for «Post of Russia» until 2030 was adopted in 2021, it has since become outdated as of 2022 without any revisions or monitoring of its implementation. The strategy lacks profitability and market share objectives and lacks a practical mechanism for developing business plans — for instance, the business plan for 2024 was approved just 18 working days before the year-end. As of early 2025, there was no business plan for 2025-2027, planned for development only after a new strategy for 2030 would be confirmed.

It was discovered that «Post of Russia» does not have a permanent chief accountant responsible for financial reporting accuracy. Since September 20, 2023, one of the deputy directors-general has been performing the accountant’s duties part-time. The report emphasizes that dedicating only about 48 minutes per day to these responsibilities does not allow for a proper assessment of accountability.

According to the report, the company only achieved 70.8% of its established results for the modernization of postal branches during 2022-2023. Additionally, an analysis of the company’s losses revealed multiple systemic issues adversely affecting its financial performance, including a lack of strategic direction, conflicting objectives, poor management, and inadequate oversight.

Auditors from the Accounts Chamber noted that over five years, «Post of Russia» has undergone 25 organizational structure revisions, with three different general directors at the helm, a 65% increase in the number of management advisors, and a 48% rise in their salary budget (from 121.1 million to 179.2 million rubles). On average, deputy general directors held their positions for just over a year and five months, with 53 individuals serving in 19 deputy roles over four years. Between 2021 and 2025, 17 billion rubles were allocated from the budget for the modernization of 3,355 «Post of Russia» branches. Nonetheless, as of January 1, 2024, over 6,000 branches were temporarily inactive due to insufficient staffing and a shortage of facilities.

«Audit by the Accounts Chamber lasted more than a year, during which we undertook significant collaborative efforts,» a representative of «Post of Russia» told the media. They explained that key issues that had persisted in the company for a long time were identified, and over two years, foundational changes were initiated. «Post of Russia» continues to fulfill its social role, and discussions regarding a long-term strategy are underway with the government, featuring initiatives developed in part from the Accounts Chamber’s recommendations.

Earlier, Mikhail Volkov revealed that nearly 90% of the organization’s IT infrastructure is outdated, and 55% of the company’s vehicles are beyond their useful lifespan. He acknowledged that low wages and extreme infrastructural deterioration are critical challenges facing the company in 2025.

With the current funding level for updating postal branches (500 million rubles annually), the upgrade process is projected to take 228 years, finishing in 2253. This comment came from one of the deputy general directors of «Post of Russia,» Zakhar Gruznov, during a Federation Council meeting. The modernization program launched in 2022 saw the company refurbishing 1,195 branches for 5 billion rubles in its first year. In 2023, 1,282 facilities were upgraded at a cost of 7.3 billion rubles. In 2024, the company renovated 773 branches for 4.2 billion rubles. For 2025, plans include modernizing 105 branches with a budget of 500 million rubles. As of 2025-2030, a total of 21,805 postal facilities will still require modernization.