The Kremlin on Friday denied reports that President Vladimir Putin had asked Russia’s richest men to bankroll the war in Ukraine, pushing back on claims that Moscow is scrambling for cash as military spending surges.
“It’s not true that Putin made such a request,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said, according to Reuters.
Peskov explained that one individual had independently offered to donate a “very large sum” to the state during a recent meeting with business leaders, describing it as a personal initiative. “This was absolutely his initiative, and not President Putin’s. Although, of course, the head of state welcomed such an initiative,” Peskov added, insisting the money was not intended for the war.