Kremlin says Putin did not ask oligarchs to fund Russia’s finances

The Kremlin on Friday denied reports that President Vladimir Putin asked leading businessmen to donate money to stabilise Russia’s finances for the war in Ukraine, saying no such request was made and that a named donor wasn’t identified. The Bell had reported at a closed-door meeting that a participant pledged a “very large” sum, with The Bell naming billionaire Suleiman Kerimov’s pledge of 100 billion roubles; Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the initiative came from the donors themselves and wasn’t a Kremlin directive, and that the money wasn’t necessarily for the war. The article notes Russia’s budget deficit and slower growth, but hints at potential oil-price windfalls and possible spending cuts this year.