Russia Cuts Funding for Putin’s Flagship Technology Projects

Russia has cut funding for eight of its key “technological leadership” projects for 2025. Total allocations were reduced by 37.8% to 201.9 billion rubles ($2.6 billion). The most significant cuts impacted the space technology project, which received zero funding, and the Means of Production and Automation project, which saw its budget slashed by more than fourfold. Other affected sectors include new materials, health preservation, and food security. The only initiative to receive its full planned funding was the government’s drone development program, which saw a slight increase to 35.7 billion rubles ($460.5 million).