Russia's Primorye Region Warns of Delayed Benefits as War Spending Strains Budget

Authorities in Primorye, a region in Russia's Far East, warned residents on Tuesday that government benefit payments may arrive late. The reason is pressure on the regional budget from spending on the war against Ukraine.

In a statement on Telegram, the regional ministry of labor and social policy said certain social support measures would be funded in stages, so some transfers might be temporarily delayed. Officials gave no indication of how long the delays could last. They promised that all social obligations would be met once the necessary funding arrives.

Budget cuts

The statement came a week after Primorye's legislative assembly reduced this year's regional budget by 3.8 billion rubles ($47.1 million). The cuts hit 18 state programs, including healthcare, affordable housing, education and social support.

At the same time, 1.5 billion rubles ($18.6 million) was added to the regional reserve fund. The money is intended for specific groups connected with the war in Ukraine, such as veterans and the families of service members.

Primorye has 1.8 million residents, and about one in three of them relies on state support through 97 different programs.

Pressure on the national budget

Rising war spending is straining both the federal budget and those of regions across Russia. The country's 2026 budget deficit is expected to hit a record 7.345 trillion rubles ($88 billion), nearly double the earlier forecast of 3.785 trillion rubles ($45 billion). The new projection equals 3.2% of GDP, compared with the previous target of 1.6%.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said last month that the size of the deficit poses no "critical" risk to the economy and that officials will do everything to keep it under control.