Russia plans to allocate more than RUB 900 B for maintenance of occupied east of Ukraine – media

Russia plans to allocate more than RUB 900 billion (approximately UAH 330 billion) for the socio-economic needs of the occupied part of the east of Ukraine in 2022-2024.

This was reported by Radio Liberty journalists with reference to the Russian "Program for Accelerated Socio-Economic Development of Territories for 2022-2024" available to them, Ukrinform reports.

Journalists received the program from Ukrainian intelligence agents. The document states that the Russian government wants to increase the income of residents of the occupied territories. Donetsk and Luhansk are referred to as "territory 1" and "territory 2", respectively.

The document says that 2.9 million people live in the occupied east of Ukraine, 38% of whom are pensioners. The average salary in this area is RUB 15,000 (UAH 5,500) which is RUB 20,000 less than in the neighboring Rostov region.

According to journalists, Moscow wants to raise the income of the population of the occupied territory of Donbas to the 2019 indicators of the Rostov region. The Kremlin plans to allocate RUB 900 billion for this purpose. Expenditures on military maintenance of "DPR" and "LPR" are financed separately.

As reported, elections to the State Duma of the Russian Federation took place on September 17-19. While the residents of the occupied Crimea have been participating in the "election process" of the Russian Federation for several years already, the Ukrainians in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions were involved in the "voting" for the first time. In addition, candidates earlier affiliated with "DPR" and "LPR" were on the lists of Russia's ruling parties.

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