GUR says where Putin gets money for war

The Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ukrainian Defence Ministry has claimed that Russia is using the increase in excise duties on alcohol to finance its aggression against Ukraine. This is what the intelligence service reported in Telegram.

According to the information available in the GUR, Russia has increased excise duty on alcohol by 15 per cent from January 2025. The GSD believes that this measure was aimed at increasing budget revenues from the sale of alcohol, which then go to finance the war against Ukraine.

At the same time, as a result of such changes, the domestic production of vodka decreased by almost 22.7 per cent and brandy by 25 per cent," the GUR said.

According to the intelligence agency, this also indicates Russia's economic problems.

The Kremlin has decided to get into the wallets of the alcohol-dependent population because of the decrease in oil and gas revenues," the GUR pointed out.

The Main Directorate of Intelligence notes that the rise in retail prices for alcohol caused by the increase in excise taxes is unlikely to change the diet of Russians, but may well scale the level of the shadow market with cheap alcohol like "Mr Cider".