Russian officials have told President Vladimir Putin that the current levels of pending related to the war is becoming unattainable, according to a new report.
Bloomberg detailed that officials in the Finance Ministry and the central bank told the Kremlin that current levels are not sustainable and could widen the government deficit further.
The outlet went on to note that officials have proposed more cuts to defense spending, claiming that it will be difficult to deal with financial woes otherwise.
Others, however, insist on maintaining the spending. Not only to continue prosecuting the war, but also because many businesses have become reliant on military contracts.
Putin has asked officials to find spending reductions elsewhere. And the Defense Ministry is actually asking for additional funding, the outlet added. All final decisions will be made by Putin.
Elsewhere, Bloomberg noted that Russia is on the brink of recession after cutting its growth forecast in May. The Economy Ministry now expects GDP to increase by 0.4% this year, compared to the previous estimate of 1.3%.
In this context, Ukrainian Brigadier General Andriy Biletsky also told Reuters recently that Russian forces had sustained significant losses and are no longer able of achieving major breakthroughs.
Ukraine, he added, has continued adapting its battlefield tactics, particularly through expanded use of drones and precision strikes. If the country manages to build and sustain momentum, he claimed, its forces will be able to prevent Russia from seizing the last part of the Donetsk region it does not fully occupy. "I believe the next six to nine months are a turning point," he said.
"We need to define those directions where we can improve our positions, take some strategic points, and then speak with the Russians from a position of strength - not weakness - about a truly stable truce," Biletsky added.
The war continues in the meantime. At least 21 people died in Ukraine after Russia launched another major barrage against the country early Tuesday.
Six people died in Kyiv and 15 more in Dnipro, Ukrainian authorities said. Two of them were children.
CNN noted that in Kyiv alone 41,000 took shelter in underground stations, the highest number in years.
Ukrainian officials said over 600 drones and dozens of missiles were launched by Moscow, hitting key civilian infrastructure. Five medical facilities and other buildings were damaged or destroyed. President Volodymyr Zelensky asked for more help from the U.S. government following the attacks.
