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Russia's Budget Secrets: Military Costs and Population Crisis

5/23/2025

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Summary

Story summary

Russia's federal budget is shrouded in secrecy, with nearly a third classified, mainly due to military expenditures linked to the Ukraine invasion. Experts caution that these escalating costs may jeopardize future budgets. Meanwhile, a sharp decline in birth rates has led the government to conceal demographic data, raising fears of a population plunge to 83 million by century's end.

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Story summary

Russia's federal budget is shrouded in secrecy, with nearly a third classified, mainly due to military expenditures linked to the Ukraine invasion. Experts caution that these escalating costs may jeopardize future budgets. Meanwhile, a sharp decline in birth rates has led the government to conceal demographic data, raising fears of a population plunge to 83 million by century's end.