Putin’s government will set aside a third of all spending to pay for the army that has been sent to the war of aggression in Ukraine as well as domestic security systems that must maintain the “stability” of the regime when living standards are decreasing.
The amount allocated for “national defense” spending would rise by 43%, to 4.981 trillion rubles ($82 billion), from the three-year budget that was approved a year earlier.
The article “national security and law enforcement,” which covers the budgets of the Interior Ministry, Federal Guard Service, special services, Investigative Committee, prosecutors, and the Federal Penitentiary Service, will cost the government 4.417 trillion (about $73 billion).
According to the Moscow Times, spending for these agencies will increase by an unprecedented 1.5 times from last year, breaking the previous record set by a 46% increase in spending to repress opposition in reaction to the Bolotnaya protests.
The government will drastically reduce assistance for the national economy by over 20% to pay the mounting cost of the war against Ukraine and dramatically raise money for the repressive apparatus. This comprises funding for initiatives aimed at advancing the industrial, innovative, healthcare, nuclear, and transportation sectors.
The budgetary costs for maintaining President Vladimir Putin and his administration will also increase significantly by 30%. The State Duma, the Federation Council, and other government agencies will all receive funding as well.
