The first catalogue of spectroscopically confirmed red nuggets at <i>z</i> ∼ 0.7 from the VIPERS survey

'Red nuggets' are a rare population of passive compact massive galaxies thought to be the first that formed in Universe. First found at $z \sim 3$, they even less abundant lower redshifts, and it is believed with time mostly transformed through mergers into today's giant ellipticals. Those red nuggets which managed escape this fate can serve as unique laboratories study early evolution galaxies. In paper, we aim make use VIMOS Public Extragalactic Redshift Survey build largest up-to-date catalogue spectroscopically confirmed intermediate redshift $0.5 8\times10^{10}$ $\rm{M}_{\odot}$ effective radii $R_\mathrm{e}<1.5$ kpc. Among them, red, old based on colour--colour NUVrK diagram, star formation rate values, verification their optical spectra. Verifying influence limit source compactness selection, sample size vary up two orders magnitude, depending chosen criterion. Using one most restrictive criteria additional checks spectra passiveness, identified only 77 previously unknown nuggets. The resultant such built uniform set selection above local Number density calculated final per comoving Mpc$^3$ increases 4.7$\times10^{-6}$ 0.61$ $9.8 \times 10^{-6}$ 0.95$, higher than values estimated Universe, ones $z>2$. It fills gap redshift.