Primorye Region Delays Social Benefits to Cover War Expenses

Oct. 27, 2026 The city of Vladivostok, Primorye region. Svetlov Artem (CC BY-SA 4.0) Authorities in Far Eastern Russia’s Primorye region warned residents on Tuesday that they may face delays in receiving government benefits as the regional budget comes under strain from spending on the war against Ukraine. “Under these conditions, individual social support measures will be funded in stages, so some transfers may occur with temporary delays,” the regional labor and social policy ministry said in a statement posted on Telegram. Officials did not say how long the delays would last, promising only that all social obligations would be fulfilled “as the necessary funding arrives.” The announcement comes a week after the Primorye region’s legislative assembly slashed this year’s regional budget by 3.8 billion rubles ($47.1 million) across 18 state programs, including healthcare, affordable housing, education and social support. Those cuts coincided with 1.5 billion rubles ($18.6 million) being added to the regional reserve fund to support specific groups of people affiliated with the war in Ukraine, like veterans and the families of service members. Around one in three people in Primorye, a region of 1.8 million, rely on state support across 97 different programs. Soaring spending on the war continues to strain both the federal government’s budget and those of regions across the country. Nationwide, Russia’s 2026 budget deficit is expected to reach a record 7.345 trillion rubles (88 billion), nearly twice the previous forecast of 3.785 trillion rubles (45 billion). That new projection represents 3.2% of GDP compared to the previous target of 1.6%. President Vladimir Putin said last month that the size of Russia’s budget deficit poses no “critical” risk for the economy and that officials will do everything to keep it under control. Read more about: Primorye , Regions , Far East , Budget Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Bodies of Missing Crew Members Found After Fishing Boat Fire Near Kamchatka The fire erupted Friday evening while the vessel Triumf was sailing in the Pacific Ocean off the eastern coast of Kamchatka. 1 Min read Over Half a Million People in Russia’s Far East Left Without Water Emergency officials said an equipment failure at a power substation caused the outage. 1 Min read Families of Russian Soldiers in Primorye Region Accuse Commanders of Sexualized Violence and Extortion Commanders at military unit 21634 in the village of Sergeyevka allegedly detained soldiers who went absent without leave in makeshift “cages” and subjected... 2 Min read Rare Siberian Tiger Kills Park Ranger in Far East Russia The attack is at least the third fatal mauling by a tiger in the Far East this winter, media reported. 2 Min read