Putin Supports Delaying Regional Debt Repayments

A bill has been submitted to the Russian government allowing regional subjects to repay one-third of their budget loan debts by 2030. Under the proposed law, operators would be liable if a theft occurred following a call or SMS that violated regulatory requirements. Banks would be required to return funds if they failed to prevent suspicious transactions. The source noted that victims may still need to prove fault in court to receive reimbursement. Lawyers suggest that individuals listed in the Bank of Russia's 'dropper' database should return funds from fraudulent operations to avoid being blacklisted. Some individuals may be unknowingly assisting in the laundering of stolen money or may have sold cryptocurrency for stolen funds. Those whose details are in the database can formally refuse the credit of funds to their accounts to mitigate involvement in money laundering operations. The current debt load for 2026 is estimated at approximately 100 billion rubles. While some regions are repaying debts on schedule, the current burden is expected to be quite high for many regions. This move follows a decline in Russian corporate profits during the first quarter of the year. The decline in profits and income tax revenue is impacting regional budgets across Russia. The support comes as regions face fiscal pressure due to falling tax receipts.