Kremlin to prepare Russians for falling living standards - Ukraine officials

The Center for Countering Disinformation under the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine reported this on Telegram, Ukrinform saw.

According to the watchdog, at an expanded board of the Russian Ministry of Finance, the head of the ministry, Anton Siluanov, was forced to admit that the stressful situation in the oil market forces Moscow "to bring expenses to new realities," and therefore, "we will have to be somewhat more modest in our desires."

"In 2025, Russia sees a decline in budget revenues due to lower oil prices and Western sanctions. In March, Russia's oil and gas revenues dropped by 17%. It is predicted that by the end of April, the decline will have reached 22%," the CCD noted.

However, the Center said that, despite the fact that the decline in oil prices will soon lead to a significant drop in the living standards of ordinary Russians, the Kremlin keeps prioritizing payments to contractors participating in the war against Ukraine and investments in arms production.

"Not intending to end the war, the Kremlin will continue to save on its own citizens," the Center for Countering Disinformation states.

As reported with reference to the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine, further strengthening of the Russian ruble is extremely unlikely due to geopolitical uncertainty and the unstable nature of Russia’s foreign trade balance.