Key Points and Summary – Russia’s draft 2026–2028 budget signals mounting strain on war financing. Opposition economist Vladimir Milov flags seven straight years of >2% deficits and a 2025 shortfall raised to 2.6%, with official claims of later decline dismissed as unrealistic. -Sanctions have shut Moscow out of global capital; domestic borrowing and dwindling reserves […]

Last month, the Russian government released a draft of the proposed 2026–2028 federal budget, which purports to show the near-term priorities of President Vladimir Putin.

Vladimir Milov, a Russian opposition politician who left Russia after Putin’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, has released a pessimistic assessment of the former KGB lieutenant colonel’s chances of being able to continue to bankroll his war in Ukraine.

In his latest report for the Foundation, he projects rough times ahead for Moscow due to a series of unfavorable trends.

According to his analysis, Russia’s budgetary situation is anything but “normal.”

  • ms.lane@lemmy.worldEnglish
    161·
    12 hours ago

    In the end does it matter?

    Xi seems willing to prop up Russia indefinitely and the west isn’t willing to dump China, so it doesn’t really matter if some Russian banks fall, since the regime will keep getting infinite money.

    • reksas@sopuli.xyzEnglish
      7·
      5 hours ago

      Oh joy, china will effectively own russia at some point without having to even have a conflict for it. I really dont want china as neighbour.

      • krooklochurm@lemmy.caEnglish
        31·
        5 hours ago

        This is a smart and more humane way of becoming the world’s leading superpower than war.

        I’m under no illusions about china being benevolent or perfect but given the way things are going in the west I’m not sure I believe anymore that china rising to increasing prominence in the world stage is necessarily a bad thing.