The war has come to every home: how kremlin makes regions pay for “smo”
In the third year of its full-scale war against Ukraine, many russians still cling to the belief that putin’s so-called “special military operation” is distant and does not affect them personally. However, an analysis of regional budget expenditures in russia reveals that the ominous phrase, “the war has come to every home,” is no longer just rhetoric—it is reality.
russian analysts have uncovered that this year, the regions of russia and the occupied territories will allocate nearly 1.5 times more funds to the war effort than last year, and 3.6 times more than in 2021. In many regions, military spending now far surpasses expenditures on healthcare and social services.
The estimated figure for 2024 alone is about $8 billion. This is a minimal estimate, as a significant portion of these funds is hidden under “civilian” budget lines, such as social benefits for war veterans and their families, free meals for children of military personnel, treatment for wounded soldiers, and other related costs. Additionally, under kremlin directives, regional budgets are forced to allocate funds for propaganda campaigns to glorify the war and to contribute to the so-called “restoration” of the occupied territories.
The surge in military spending has become unsustainable for local authorities, with all 89 russian regions projected to end the year with budget deficits. Meanwhile, the russian government, prioritizing resources for the war, continues to slash funding for social programs and payments from the central budget.
putin’s push to restructure every aspect of russian life to operate on a “war footing” signals that the dictator is preparing for a long war.
