A group of 17 Indian migrants has been working as street cleaners in St. Petersburg, Russia, for the past several weeks, filling a labour gap in the country. According to a report by Hindustan Times, among them is Mukesh Mandal, a 26‑year‑old who says he previously worked as a software developer in India. Mandal reportedly spoke to Russian news outlet Fontanka about his new role.
The workers are employed by Kolomyazhskoye JSC, a road maintenance company that relocated to Russia four months ago. The firm provides them with food, accommodation, protective clothing, and transport, while their monthly pay is reported to be around 100,000 rubles (approximately ₹1.1 lakh).
The migrant workers, aged between 19 and 43, come from diverse backgrounds in India. Some were farmers, others ran small businesses, while the group also includes a wedding planner, a tanner, drivers, and architects. At least one worker, Mandal, claims to have worked in software development before moving to Russia.
“I’ve mostly worked at companies like Microsoft and used tools such as AI, chatbots, and ChatGPT. Essentially, I’m a developer,” Mandal said in broken English. It remains unclear whether he was directly employed by Microsoft or by firms using its products.
Mandal added that he intends to stay in Russia for a year to earn money before returning home. “My plan is to stay here, earn some money, and then go back to my country. I’m just doing my job: cleaning the streets. This is your country, and you should understand what I do,” he said.
Asked why he chose such work, Mandal replied that as an Indian, the job didn’t matter, because work equals God. He added that irrespective of the nature of the work, he is just committed to fulfilling his duties to the best of his ability.
Source – https://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/world/indian-migrants-st-petersburg-street-cleaners-dhntry75