Short answers, pulled from the story.
Russian Railways was officially established in October 2003 when the state program for railway sector reform began. A decree passed on the 18th of September 2003 separated infrastructure upkeep from train operations to create this new company.
Oleg Belozyorov took over the presidency of Russian Railways in August 2015 and continues to lead the organization today. He succeeded Vladimir Yakunin who served until the 20th of August 2015 after leading the company since the 23rd of September 2003.
The company underwent massive workforce reductions shrinking from 2.2 million employees in the 1990s to just 934,000 people by 2012. This significant decrease reflects the restructuring efforts implemented during the early years of the joint-stock company.
As of January 2026 the company faces a deep financial crisis due to sharp declines in freight traffic with debt soaring to about $45 billion. Reports indicated the company held 4 trillion rubles or approximately $50.8 billion in debt by November 2025 following economic sanctions and falling demand.
Russian Railways launched a project to replace narrow gauge tracks on Sakhalin Railway with broad gauge used elsewhere in Russia in 2003. This conversion was formally completed in August 2019 after more than fifteen years of work.