In Russia, during the first half of 2025, state support for small and medium-sized enterprises decreased by almost half compared to the previous year. This was reported by the Ukrainian Foreign Intelligence Service.
The reasons include a reduction in the volume of concessional lending, 'budget optimization', and a shift to selective assistance only for entrepreneurs in key industries - production, logistics, IT, and tourism. The number of recipients decreased by 22%.
According to the SBU, the Russian Kremlin is increasing spending on the war against Ukraine, with tens of billions of rubles being allocated for this aggression at the expense of supporting its own citizens and economic development.
'In the period from 2025 to 2030, it is planned to allocate 330 billion rubles for the support of small and medium-sized businesses, which is 20% less than in the previous six years. Such actions may lead to an increase in unemployment and a slowdown in economic development since small and medium-sized enterprises provide millions of jobs in the Russian Federation,' intelligence noted.
There is a significant decrease in state support for small and medium-sized businesses in Russia, which could lead to negative consequences for the country's economy, including rising unemployment and slowed development. According to Ukrainian intelligence, this has happened against the backdrop of increased spending on the war against Ukraine, confirming a shift in priorities in the distribution of state resources in Russia.