Russian state TV channel Rossiya 1 recently broadcast a short news segment about a work stoppage at an electric locomotive plant in Rostov, where nearly 10,000 employees have been furloughed due to low demand. In the program, the narrator discusses the story, while one of the factory’s workers appears on-screen, futzing about with a wrench.
The employee, a man in overalls, seems to be tightening a bolt, but when the camera zooms in on his hands, it’s clear that his wrench is several sizes too big, and that he’s only pretending to work.
A transcript of the story (without any video) appeared on the show’s website on January 30. A few days later, on February 3, the entertainment YouTube channel GoodMood drew attention to the video.
Also on January 30, the TV and radio company Don-TR released a segment about a new policy at the Rostov plant to continue operations until March, using the same Rossiya 1 footage of the worker pointlessly twisting the bolt with his oversized wrench.
On February 3, however, Don-TR reported that almost 5,000 workers at the plant had been furloughed, following a decision to suspend operations indefinitely.
The Novocherkassk Electric Locomotive Plant is suspending operations, says the factory’s press office, citing an absence of purchase orders from its client, Russian Railways.