Page 73 - bneIntelliNews monthly country report Russia May 2024

6.1.3 Budget dynamics - govt funding plans
The MinFIn intends to raise over RUB4 trillion in OFZ this year - about double
normal - to fund a modest deficit.
6.1.4 Budget dynamics - regions
In April, President Vladimir Putin held meetings with several regional governors who face gubernatorial elections in September. The President met with the governors of Sakhalin, the Transbaikal Territory, the Vologda Region, the Astrakhan Region, the Volgograd Region, and Bashkortostan. These meetings unofficially serve to signal the President’s blessing for the governors’ next term, meaning that these governors will not be dismissed in the spring “gubernatoropad.” Gubernatoropad, or the season of falling governors, is the annual coordinated dismissal of several regional leaders months before or shortly after regional elections. The presidential endorsement of Bashkortostan’s head, Radiy Khabirov, is especially notable given that Khabirov faced significant protests over the past few years. These were triggered by controversial industrial development projects as well as the jailing of a popular Bashkir activist in January, after which the local authorities cracked down hard on activists and protest participants. Overall, Putin has become significantly more cautious in the field of personnel policies over the past two years, dismissing only ten regional governors since the full-scale war
73 RUSSIA Country Report May 2024 www.intellinews.com