cross-posted from: https://mander.xyz/post/49654291
Moscow plans to transfer the funds of 37 million citizens to a new state scheme. The money will be used to finance state projects amid sanctions and war.
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“The main beneficiary could be the NPF “Blagosostoyanie” (Welfare), whose shareholders include Russian Railways, Gazprombank, and VEB.RF. That is, those structures that are under direct state control’” according to Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service.
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The intelligence service reminded that in 2014 - immediately after the occupation of Crimea and the imposition of sanctions - the government “froze” the accumulative part of pensions. At that time, 6% of the 22% of pension contributions that were supposed to go to citizens’ personal accounts were simply redirected to payments to current pensioners, plugging a hole in the pension fund. The freeze was declared temporary, but it continues to this day.
Putin and his war economy need more than a couple of match boxes. They need funds to prevent state-controlled non-military industries from collapsing (railways, Gazprom, …).
For at least the second time since 2014, the Kremlin takes money away from current and future (!) pensioners to fund short term projects, not in the least because Russia reached almost its entire planned 2026 budget deficit in the first quarter.
Future generations of Russians will suffer from this.
[Edit typo.]