The Russian authorities will allocate a third of all expenditures to finance the army thrown into the war with Ukraine, as well as internal security structures, which will have to ensure the “stability” of the regime under conditions of mobilization and falling standards of living, Moscow Times reports.
Spending on “national defense” will increase to 4.981 trillion rubles ($82 bn), an increase of 43% compared to the amount laid out in the three-year budget adopted a year ago.
The government will spend 4.417 trillion ($73 bn) on the article “national security and law enforcement,” which includes the budgets of the Interior Ministry, Federal Guard Service, special services, Investigative Committee, prosecutors and the Federal Penitentiary Service.
Moscow Times notes that spending for these agencies will rise from last year by a record 1.5 times, exceeding the previous record, a 46% jump in spending to suppress dissent in response to the Bolotnaya protests.
In order to pay the growing bill for the war and sharply increase funding for the repressive apparatus, the authorities will slash support for the national economy by nearly 20%. This includes support for the programs to develop industry, innovations, medical industry, nuclear power, roads.
Budget expenditures for upkeeping President Vladimir Putin and his administrayion will go up sharply as well, by 30%. So will allocations for the government apparatus, the Federation Council, and the State Duma.
