By The Moscow Times | Created at 2025-01-21 10:00:19 | Updated at 2025-01-21 13:53:01
4 hours ago
Authorities in southern Russia’s Saratov region have ordered local restaurants to allocate part of their revenue to fund the war in Ukraine, the Kommersant business daily reported Tuesday, citing the regional Labor Ministry.
Restaurants will reportedly “voluntarily” contribute 0.2% of their revenue to a special-purpose account dedicated to Russian soldiers in Ukraine. It remains unclear how much the authorities in Saratov, located around 725 kilometers (450 miles) southeast of Moscow, expect to raise or how the funds will be used.
Russia has already earmarked 13.5 trillion rubles ($134.8 billion) for defense and security — nearly 40% of its 2025 federal budget.
Last month, Saratov region Governor Roman Busargin said local farmers and other “socially responsible” businesses had proposed creating the special-purpose accounts for what Moscow calls its “special military operation” in Ukraine.
Busargin stressed that the donations will not be taxed and cannot be redirected for other purposes.
Saratov is at least the second Russian region to impose business contributions for the war effort, according to Kommersant.
The Nizhny Novgorod region, 400 kilometers (250 miles) east of Moscow, established a similar fund last fall, requiring businesses seeking state support to donate 5% of their revenue to soldiers and their families.
Federal lawmakers from Russia’s Communist Party have attempted to pass similar nationwide legislation twice but failed both times.
Saratov region Communist Party lawmaker Olga Alimova voiced support for the restaurant levy but warned that its payment mechanism could lack transparency without proper legal amendments.
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