The unemployment rate in Russia will increase to top 6 million people in 2011, Health Minister Tatyana Golikova said on Thursday.
"General unemployment will reach a peak in January 2011, and will be 6.4 million people," Golikova told a government meeting.
There are currently 5.2 million unemployed in Russia, Golikova said.
But the number of officially registered unemployed is just over 1.62 million people, she added.
Many people in Russia do not claim unemployment benefits, which are generally extremely low.
MOSCOW, September 30 (RIA Novosti)