Moscow, (EFE).- Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged on Thursday that Russian companies are contributing, whether by paying to defend their facilities against Ukrainian drone attacks or by donating to the state budget to cover social spending.
«I want to thank the business community, including my colleagues here today, for this initiative,» Putin said during the plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Russia.
Those attending the forum included Alexei Miller, chairman of the gas consortium Gazprom, and other heads of major state-owned corporations.
The state deficit totaled 6.45 trillion rubles (74.35 billion dollars) in the first seven months of 2026, or 1.6% of gross domestic product, while approximately 40% of the budget is allocated to defense and national security.
War tax
Although the state has proven incapable of defending the national territory, especially in recent months, Putin vehemently denied the existence of a war tax on Russian companies.
«I protest, there are no levies; there are voluntary donations. These are two completely different things,” he said.
Putin insisted that the Kremlin did not demand anything from the companies and «did not, under any circumstances, create this situation.» However, he estimated the contributions at billions of dollars.
«It is, in fact, an initiative by the business community. It is not a tax collection. I met with business leaders. To my complete surprise, these people offered to make concrete contributions,» he noted.
Putin made these remarks to representatives from countries such as China, Indonesia, and Mongolia at a forum aimed at attracting foreign investment, particularly in Russia’s Far East.
«We work in this country. We are citizens of this country. We have accumulated considerable wealth, and business is thriving despite all the problems. Under the current circumstances, we want to contribute to development, the economy, and the social sphere, which is what matters most,” Putin explained business leaders told him.
In March, the Kremlin acknowledged a closed-door meeting between Putin and some of the country’s most prominent oligarchs. According to the independent press, Putin asked them for donations to finance the war during the meeting.
The idea reportedly came from Igor Sechin, the head of the country’s largest oil company, Rosneft, and a close associate and former KGB colleague of Putin’s.
Corporate self-defense against Ukrainian drones
The Russian leader addressed speculation that the Kremlin is considering expropriating companies that fail to invest in securing their critical facilities against Ukrainian drone attacks.
Putin recently issued a decree allowing for the external management of companies that do not allocate «considerable amounts of money» to these measures.
He explained that it is a new situation for everyone, referencing businesses such as the e-commerce company Wildberries, which suffered multimillion-dollar losses when its warehouses were hit by enemy drones.
Putin stated that the country experienced a fuel crisis following attacks on its refineries, as they were assumed to be purely civilian targets that could not be attacked during an armed conflict.
«But in this regard, we were wrong. Our adversary has a different opinion and has begun attacking these purely civilian targets,» he said.
The Russian leader now estimates that companies have spent hundreds of millions of dollars on weapons and other equipment, such as metal netting, to prevent the impact of unmanned aerial vehicles.
«Our companies have now joined this effort, and I can guarantee you that results are already being seen, and more will follow. They are investing money to purchase the necessary equipment and hire specialists to defend their companies,” he stated.
Putin acknowledged that, until now, companies had no obligation to protect themselves or invest in air defense.
«We are asking our colleagues, in this case, those in the oil sector, to take charge of protecting their companies. Previously, they had no such obligation. As of the decree, they are now required to do so,” he noted.
Russia will have to invest in air defense for as long as the war lasts. Putin argued that the policy has worked, as several recent attacks on refineries have been repelled without significant damage.
«The companies got involved and began investing in the defense of their businesses. This is already yielding the necessary results. We will continue to do so, as it will serve us well in the future. It creates certain conditions and guarantees security,» the Russian leader stated.EFE
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