NEWSLINK: “Russia’s government moves from war budget to election budget” – bne Intellinews/ Ben Aris

“The Russian government has moved from a war budget to an election budget as social spending soars and defence spending is cut.

With the presidential election now only a year away, which Russian President Vladimir Putin, virtually unopposed, is expected to easily win, the Russian government has changed its budgetary focus and boosted social spending to soften up the electorate. …”