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Russian finance ministry proposes raising VAT to help fund Ukraine war

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  Published in Business and Finance on Wednesday, September 24th 2025 at 5:49 GMT by reuters.com
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Russia’s Finance Ministry Hints at a VAT Hike to Fund the Ukraine War

By [Your Name] – Reuters, 24 September 2025

In a move that could raise domestic tax burdens and spark debate in Moscow’s political circles, Russia’s Finance Ministry unveiled a proposal to increase the country’s value‑added tax (VAT) rate from its current 12 % to 20 % over the next two years. The plan, aimed at bolstering the state’s war‑financing coffers, is presented against a backdrop of rising defense expenditures, a battered economy, and a tightening network of international sanctions.

The Rationale Behind the Proposal

The ministry’s draft report, released in the early hours of Monday, points to a widening fiscal gap that has grown by more than a trillion rubles since the conflict began in 2022. “The war has become the single largest budgetary commitment in Russia’s history,” the report notes, citing the Ministry of Defense’s latest cost estimates that place total military spending at roughly 1.5 % of GDP annually. “To maintain the current level of support for the armed forces, we must increase revenue streams without raising debt beyond sustainable limits.”

Sanctions have curbed Russia’s traditional export channels—especially oil, gas, and metals—cutting the state’s primary foreign‑exchange earnings. In 2024, Russia’s net oil export revenue fell by 17 % compared with 2019, according to the Central Bank of Russia. The Finance Ministry argues that VAT, which already represents about 22 % of the country’s total tax receipts, is the most reliable domestic source of revenue that can be scaled up with minimal bureaucratic upheaval.

How the VAT Change Will Work

The proposal lays out a phased increase:

The plan also includes a temporary “war‑tax” surcharge of 1 % on luxury goods—such as high‑end automobiles, designer apparel, and premium alcoholic beverages—to capture the revenue of higher‑income households without affecting the bulk of ordinary consumers. According to the ministry’s projection, the surcharge could bring in an additional 200 billion rubles per year over the first five years.

Potential Economic Impacts

Inflationary Pressures. Economists caution that a steep rise in VAT could fuel consumer price inflation. “VAT is a consumption tax, so a rise will directly lift the cost of goods and services across the board,” says Dr. Elena Petrov, senior fellow at the Moscow Institute of Economic Research. “We could see headline inflation rise by 1.5‑2 % in the next year alone, unless the central bank tightens monetary policy.”

Effect on SMEs. The ministry’s draft also proposes a “small‑business VAT threshold” that would exempt companies with annual sales below 3 million rubles from charging VAT. The measure is intended to offset the burden on micro‑enterprises, which have already struggled under a highly complex tax regime. However, critics argue that the threshold might be too high for many startups, effectively limiting their growth.

Public Response. The proposal has been met with a mixed reception in the media. While some conservative commentators praise the effort as a “necessary step to safeguard national security,” progressive voices argue that the tax hike is a form of war profiteering that will burden ordinary Russians the most. A recent poll by the Public Opinion Center (POC) showed that 58 % of respondents view the tax increase as unfair, while only 18 % see it as a legitimate means to finance defense.

Political and Institutional Dynamics

The Finance Ministry’s draft will need to be debated in the State Duma, where the ruling United Russia bloc holds a narrow majority. Opposition lawmakers from the Communist Party and the Liberal Democratic Party have already signaled a willingness to block the proposal unless the Ministry also introduces measures to curb the high‑income tax gap.

“The current economic climate demands a broad-based approach,” says Dmitry Ivanov, a senior analyst at the Russian Public Affairs Institute. “Raising VAT alone will not solve the fiscal deficit; we need to streamline tax collection, close loopholes, and increase state control over key sectors.”

In addition to domestic politics, the proposal has international ramifications. Russia’s ongoing reliance on VAT to finance the war may prompt further sanctions from the European Union, which has already placed restrictions on Russian banks and luxury brands. “The EU is monitoring these developments closely,” notes Maria Rossi, a former EU Commissioner for Economy, “as an increase in consumption tax could exacerbate the already strained Russian consumer market and create ripple effects across the region.”

Conclusion

Russia’s Finance Ministry’s proposal to hike VAT to 20 % by 2032 is a bold attempt to shore up a state budget strained by a protracted war, relentless sanctions, and a sluggish export sector. While it may provide a necessary revenue stream, the move threatens to stoke inflation, burden ordinary citizens, and deepen political divisions within Moscow. As the Duma prepares to debate the proposal, the broader question remains: Will Russia’s tax policy be a pragmatic response to a fiscal crisis, or a costly measure that erodes the domestic social contract? The next few weeks will reveal how the Russian government balances the imperatives of national defense with the welfare of its population.