Putin reportedly asked Russian business leaders to help fund the war. Moscow expects 471 billion rubles in ‘voluntary’ contributions from companies this year.
Russian authorities expect to receive 471.4 billion rubles in voluntary contributions from businesses to the national budget in 2026, according to an explanatory note accompanying the draft 2027–2029 budget reviewed by The Bell.
The budget forecasts much smaller voluntary contributions in 2027–2029: 1.9 billion rubles each year.
In March, The Bell reported, citing sources, that Vladimir Putin had met with businesspeople behind closed doors and proposed that they voluntarily finance the war. The Kremlin called the report “untrue” but said Putin had welcomed the idea of voluntary contributions to the budget.
By mid-August, authorities had already collected 384 billion rubles from businesses. The bulk of the money began coming in after March, Vedomosti reported.
Business contributions totaling nearly half a trillion rubles will set a record, The Bell reported. In 2025, authorities collected 251.3 billion rubles from companies.
“Nonrepayable receipts” from private companies fall into two categories: mandatory payments businesses make when selling assets in Russia and voluntary contributions to the budget.
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