Russia raised alcohol excise taxes seeking money for the war - HUR
Kyiv • UNN
Starting in 2025, Russia increased the excise tax on alcohol by 15% to finance the war. This led to a 22.7% drop in vodka production and a 25% drop in brandy production in the first quarter.
Russia is trying to boost budget revenues by increasing excise tax, from which it finances the war against Ukraine. This is reported by the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine (GUR MOU), according to UNN.
Details
According to the GUR MOU, from January 2025, the aggressor state Russia increased the excise tax rate on alcohol by 15%.
And there are already results of the Kremlin's new tax policy - in the first quarter of the year, domestic vodka production fell by almost 22.7%, brandy - by 25%
It is noted that the new alcohol excises are an attempt to boost revenues to the aggressor state's budget, from which Russia finances the criminal war against Ukraine.
This is also one of the manifestations of Moscow's economic problems - against the background of decreasing oil and gas revenues, the Kremlin decided to dig into the wallets of its own population, who are consistently thirsty for vodka
"The rise in retail alcohol prices caused by increased excises is unlikely to change Russians' diet, but it is quite capable of scaling up the shadow market level with cheap alcohol like 'Mr. Cider'", - noted the GUR of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
Recall
The Head of the Foreign Intelligence Service, Oleksandr Ivashchenko, stated the depletion of Russian resources and the deterioration of the Russian economy. According to him, at the end of the year and next year, the Russian economy may face irreversible trends.