Russian regional budgets spent 5.8% less on health care in the first half of 2026 than in the same period last year. According to an operational report from the Russian Audit Chamber, spending totaled around 999 billion rubles, approximately 61 billion rubles less year on year. The Moscow Times analyzed the figures on October 26.
Spending fell in 42 regions, with declines exceeding 20% in 11 of them. Particularly steep reductions were recorded in the Altai Republic (40.6%), Kirov region (39%), Kemerovo region (33.2%), Orenburg region (32.1%) and Tver region (29%).
The program to modernize primary health care received an annual allocation of 57.5 billion rubles, less than half the previous year's amount. Of the funds allocated, approximately 12.6 billion rubles was actually spent in the first six months, about one-fifth as much as in the same period last year.
Meanwhile, total regional spending rose by 5.8%, to 12.579 trillion rubles. Taken together, the regions reported a budget deficit of 134.2 billion rubles for the first half. Financial conditions differ by region, and Moscow's surplus offsets a substantial share of the deficits elsewhere.
Experts interviewed by The Moscow Times link the pressure on regional budgets in part to growing payments for signing contracts with the Defense Ministry. But comparing budget categories alone does not prove that every reduction in health spending was directly caused by financing the war. Tax revenue, debt burdens and other obligations also affect regional finances.