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.”


the price of oil is low and Russian refineries can’t refine and deliver vast amounts of oil due to attacks.
Though Russia has in the past found effective ways to get around what would have truly been crippling financial situations. They have been very resourceful in the past. It just gets harder and harder each time . They are just in a worse situation in all ways year on year.
This time they will get past it, but they are getting depleted. I just don’t see them ending the war until the choice is out their hands.