Lawmakers at the State Duma lower house of the Russian parliament have passed the third reading of the bill setting the minimum monthly wage at 16,242 rubles beginning from January 1, 2023, the parliament press service reported.   The 6.3 percent increase of the current minimum wage of 15,279 rubles will raise the salaries of some 3,5 million public sector employees, the press service said. “We must understand that we have to do everything wherever possible towards raising wages, resolving social issues and improving people's welfare,” State Duma speaker Vyasheslav Volodin said.   The law changes the minimum wage calculation procedure for 2023-2004. The increase in the minimum wage will run 3 percentage points ahead of the rate set for the subsistence minimum of the able-bodied population across Russia. The size of median wage will not be used in the calculation.   Following its accession to the Russian Federation on September 30, 2022, the Republic changed the minimum wage starting September 30, 2022.  It currently amounts to 15,279 rubles versus 10,245 rubles in the period from January 1, 2022 to September 30.   The Lugansk People’s Republic became a part of Russia on September 30, 2022 after the unification referendum.*i*v