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Are Belarusians the Lowest Paid in the CIS? Claims of Euroradio Expert Fact-Checked
Russians, Kazakhs, Moldovans and Armenians earn more.
Belarusians earned 21% more in 2023 than a year before. In ruble terms. But their dollar-denominated earnings are the lowest in the CIS, said an expert on Euroradio. The Weekly Top Fake team fact-checked the claim.
Belarusian salaries were discussed on the air of Euroradio on June 14, 2024. Alice Ryzhichenko, an expert in public administration and international development, spoke about the wages of Belarusians compared to residents of other CIS countries.
“We have a 20% increase in nominal wages this year, and a 13% real increase annually. That's the highest across the CIS. Yet, we still earn significantly less than all other CIS countries in dollars,” the expert concluded.
Wage growth in Belarus did indeed outpace other CIS nations, increasing 21% in ruble terms over the year.
Alice Ryzhichenko was mistaken about Belarusian wages in U.S. dollars. According to the most recent statistics available at the time of publication, Belarus is mid-pack in CIS countries for wage levels. Russians, Kazakhs, Moldovans and Armenians earn more. However, citizens of Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan earn less.
