Russian President Vladimir Putin recently signed a national budget for the next three years, reflecting a substantial 25 percent increase in spending. The budget allocates 36.6 trillion rubles ($415 billion) for 2024, accompanied by an anticipated deficit of 1.595 trillion rubles ($9.5 billion). Following approval by the lower house of parliament, Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin asserted that the budget is strategically designed to bolster military capabilities and counter the repercussions of international sanctions. Notably, a portion of the budget remains undisclosed, underscoring the Kremlin’s efforts to maintain secrecy around military plans and evade scrutiny concerning its operations in Ukraine.

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