Kremlin's crisis fund: Reserves dip as oil dependency persists

Russian money set aside in the so-called National Welfare Fund is dwindling rapidly. The pool of money in the fund designated for crisis situations is decreasing. The Kremlin has revealed how it will allocate these funds this year.

The National Welfare Fund was meant to be a buffer to mitigate the effects of the Russian economy's dependence on volatile hydrocarbon revenues. Surpluses from oil and gas sales (above the set thresholds - ed. note) are supposed to go to a special fund, explained Kamil Lipiński from the Polish Economic Institute. Meanwhile, Russia is increasingly dipping into these reserves.

As we wrote on money.pl at the end of January, more than two years of Russian war have resulted in the crisis fund's pool of money dwindling by nearly half—to approximately 334 billion rubles ($4.6 billion CAD).

The independent Russian news portal Meduza estimated that, at current spending levels and falling oil prices, the funds could be exhausted within the next two years.

The First Deputy Head of the Ministry of Economy, Ilya Torosov, told Vedomosti that the government plans to draw another trillion rubles (CAD 13.8 billion).

According to Kommersant, back in February, it was reported that the fund's investments would total 59 billion rubles (CAD 813 million). By the end of 2023, more than 73 billion rubles ($1 billion CAD) had been spent from the National Welfare Fund.

Where the funds will be allocated in 2024:

        
• Construction of an ethane-containing gas processing complex in the port of Ust-Luga – 27 billion rubles ($372 million CAD);
• Development of aircraft production – 19 billion rubles ($262 million CAD). (The government planned for Rostec to receive funds, which would issue 15-year bonds at a preferential interest rate of 1.5% annually);
• Preferential leasing of aircraft, watercraft, and buses - 7 billion rubles ($96 million CAD). (GTLK project);
• Construction of the Kazan-Yekaterinburg road - 5 billion rubles ($69 million CAD). (by Avtodor);
• Housing projects and municipal services - 2 billion rubles ($28 million CAD). (Through the Territorial Development Fund).

As highlighted by Kommersant, this is the first time the deputy minister has revealed where 59 billion rubles will be spent. It was not specified where the remaining funds would be allocated.