Cooper, Julian
2007
The Funding of the Power Agencies of the Russian State
The Journal of Power Institutions in Post-Soviet Societies
6/7
The Russian power ministries account for a steadily growing share of total spending under the federal budget. The article will explore the evidence on the funding of the Russian power ministries, its structure, share of gross domestic product and trends over time. Changing priorities will be assessed. The handling of such spending in the budgetary process will be examined, including the role of the Federal Assembly. Much spending on the power ministries is classified and secrecy has increased during the period of Putin’s leadership. What does the secrecy conceal and what forces account for the urge to classify?