Putin asks oligarchs to fund Ukraine war as costs soar

Vladimir Putin has asked Russian oligarchs to make voluntary donations to the state budget as the financial burden of the Ukraine war reaches levels the Kremlin can no longer absorb through conventional revenue. The move signals Putin's intention to push for full control of Ukraine's Donbas region regardless of cost, with no off-ramp in sight. The request marks a notable shift from Russia's earlier posture of projecting fiscal self-sufficiency.

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