Deputies stated that there is a gap between statistics and the real incomes of Kirov residents.

      On August 11, a press conference of the regional branch of the party took place in Kirov. The meeting was held by the chairwoman of the Kirov regional branch of the party, Ekaterina Kolotova, and the deputy of the Kirov City Duma, Alexander Nikulin. The main topics were salaries and pensions.

      Kolotova stated that official statistics do not reflect the real incomes of most residents. According to Kirovstat, the average salary in the region in the first quarter of 2026 was about 70,000 rubles, while in Kirov it was about 84,000. However, according to the deputy, these figures do not show how much a specific worker actually earns. As an example, she provided a calculation: if one manager earns 500,000 rubles and nine employees earn 50,000 each, the arithmetic average would be 95,000, although none of the ten earn that amount.

      Nikulin provided data on job vacancies from open sources. Kindergarten teachers are offered between 31,000 and 40,000 rubles, and in some cases up to 45,000. To earn more, he said, employees have to work one and a half to two jobs. Nurses, according to him, are offered between 38,000 and 60,000 rubles, but actual offers in clinics and kindergartens often range from 30,000 to 45,000 rubles. Meanwhile, the minimum subsistence level for the working-age population in the Kirov region in 2026 is set at 18,373 rubles.

      According to Kolotova, the average pension in the country is about 25,400 rubles, while the average salary is 106,000. Thus, the pension constitutes approximately 23.6% of the salary. The deputies noted that pensioners have a higher share of expenses on medicines and utilities, and opportunities for additional earnings are limited. Nikulin gave a personal example: his mother receives about 20,000 rubles in pension. He also noted that in winter, utility payments can reach 10,000 to 12,000 rubles, and many pensioners are forced to sell their homegrown produce on the streets during the summer.

      The press conference was not sensational — the issue of low salaries and pensions in the Kirov region is raised regularly. However, according to the organizers, this is precisely its purpose: to show the gap between the figures in reports and the reality that people face. Whether the proposals voiced will be implemented is an open question. But the very fact of their public discussion once again confirms that the problem remains relevant for a significant part of the region's residents.