Putin awards pay increases to himself, Medvedev, MPs, security chiefs and Sirius federal territory officials
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed decrees on 5.5% pay increases for certain categories of public servants from 1 October 2023.
Source: The Moscow Times with reference to documents shared on an official legal information portal
Details: The salaries of the following categories of officials will be increased:
- the President of the Russian Federation
- Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council
- Alexander Bastrykin, Chairman of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation
- Prosecutor General Igor Krasnov
- members of the State Duma and the Federation Council (the lower and upper chambers of the Russian parliament respectively)
- some heads of federal executive bodies
- employees of Russian embassies and consulates
- Russian representatives at international organisations in other countries
Interestingly, the list of senior Russian officials who are to receive a salary increase includes members of the territorial election commission of Sirius, a relatively new federal territory on the Black Sea coast.
"In order to ensure social guarantees, [...] I hereby order that the compensation of persons holding public office in the Russian Federation shall be increased by 1.055 times as of 1 October 2023," the decree reads.
However, The Moscow Times pointed out that in late 2022, Putin issued a decree allowing senior officials not to declare their income during the war in Ukraine, so the last time many officials and MPs reported on their income was in May 2022 - for 2021.
According to official data, Putin earned 10.202 million roubles (roughly US$106,300) in 2021, 208,000 roubles (US$2,200) more than in 2020. Medvedev declared 8.353 million roubles (US$87,000) in 2021, almost 10 million (US$104,000) less than he did the previous year.
Background: Sirius is Russia's first federal territory created by Putin's decision. It was formed in 2020 by removing the Imereti Lowlands from the Adler district of Sochi. Putin said the initiative was driven by the need to develop the Olympic and environmental legacy.
According to Russian sources, Sirius was founded by the Talent and Success Foundation set up by Putin's cellist friend Sergei Roldugin, ballerina Svetlana Zakharova, mathematicians Stanislav Smirnov and Ivan Yashchenko, ice hockey player Valeri Kamensky, and Yuri Temirkanov, artistic director of the St Petersburg Philharmonic Academic Symphony Orchestra.
Apart from some help from business, namely the oligarchs Vladimir Potanin and Vagit Alekperov, the foundation is financed mainly by the state.
Ukrainska Pravda is the place where you will find the most up-to-date information about everything related to the war in Ukraine. Follow us on Twitter, support us, or become our patron!