Russian Factory Workers Protest Sanctions at U.S. Envoy’s Residence

On July Fourth, 50 workers from the GAZ van maker’s Nizhny Novgorod factory rallied on behalf of their 40,000-strong workforce in front of the U.S. ambassador’s residence in Moscow.

Russian tycoon Oleg Deripaska and his van maker were slapped with U.S. sanctions in April 2018. While a decision on lifting sanctions against the company has been postponed until Nov. 8, workers rallied for sanctions to be removed immediately.

If the sanctions stay in place, the plant that employs 40,000 people work could shut down, the workers said, threatening the livelihoods of the 400,000 people who work for GAZ suppliers, dealers and partners.