March 29, 2023

No Money, Only War


No Money, Only War
Russian tanks abandoned by the Russian army in the retreat from Izyum. Ukrinform TV, Wikimedia Commons

Verstka journalists analyzed court decisions in different regions of Russia and found out that civil and military authorities have been blaming disruption of infrastructural and social projects on the "special military operation" (as Russian authorities call the war in Ukraine). In particular, financial problems have arisen in the Zabaykalsky Krai, Primorsky Krai, and Chukotka. 

According to Verstka:

  • In Zabaykalsky Krai there is not enough money to create a cattle burial site in the wake of an anthrax outbreak, nor for the purchase of crematory furnaces for two dozen rural settlements.
  • In Chukotka, the Ministry of Defense did not have enough money to equip the administrative building of the military commissariat with an automatic fire alarm.
  • In Primorsky Krai, a fire alarm system was supposed to be installed in a metal storage building, but the Ministry of Defense said that they could not do the work because of the "special military operation."

The lack of funds has also hit social projects. Authorities in Zabaykalsky Krai could not find funds for the overhaul of a local kindergarten building. Officials blamed the lack of money on the war and mobilization: "In 2022, the district budget was charged with providing support to close relatives of mobilized citizens, because of the special military operation in Ukraine."

This is not the first evidence that the war in Ukraine and sanctions have had a negative impact on the Russian economy. Earlier this year, authorities significantly reduced funding for the development of artificial intelligence technologies.

In addition, the expected deficit of the Russian budget will reach 3% this year, the Russian middle class (about 30% of the population) saw their real income drop 5%, and, for the Russian population as a whole, the drop in income has been 2.2%.

 

You Might Also Like

While Supplies Last
  • December 20, 2022

While Supplies Last

Prices for Moscow real estate, usually a hot market, are down a record 35 percent.
Russians Getting a Raise?
  • December 08, 2022

Russians Getting a Raise?

In a November 30 speech, President Vladimir Putin said the next big challenge for his government will be raising the economic well-being of Russians.
The New Military Economy
  • October 23, 2022

The New Military Economy

Two days after declaring martial law in four Ukrainian regions, Vladimir Putin quietly put the Russian economy on a military footing.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

Russian Rules
November 16, 2011

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.

A Taste of Chekhov
December 24, 2022

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.

Steppe
July 15, 2022

Steppe

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.

Murder at the Dacha
July 01, 2013

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.

The Latchkey Murders
July 01, 2015

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...

The Little Humpbacked Horse
November 03, 2014

The Little Humpbacked Horse

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.

Murder and the Muse
December 12, 2016

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.

Frogs Who Begged...
November 01, 2010

Frogs Who Begged...

The fables of Ivan Krylov are rich fonts of Russian cultural wisdom and experience – reading and understanding them is vital to grasping the Russian worldview. This new edition of 62 of Krylov’s tales presents them side-by-side in English and Russian. The wonderfully lyrical translations by Lydia Razran Stone are accompanied by original, whimsical color illustrations by Katya Korobkina.

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices
May 01, 2013

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod is a mid-sized provincial city that exists only in Russian metaphorical space. It has its roots in Gogol, and Ilf and Petrov, and is a place far from Moscow, but close to Russian hearts. It is a place of mystery and normality, of provincial innocence and Black Earth wisdom. Strange, inexplicable things happen in Stargorod. So do good things. And bad things. A lot like life everywhere, one might say. Only with a heavy dose of vodka, longing and mystery.

How Russia Got That Way
September 20, 2025

How Russia Got That Way

A fast-paced crash course in Russian history, from Norsemen to Navalny, that explores the ways the Kremlin uses history to achieve its ends.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955