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Geographical Features of Federal Fiscal Support Distribution among Russian Cities through the Mechanism of Inter-Budget Transfers

https://doi.org/10.7868/S2658697526010082

Abstract

The article examines the geographical differences in the distribution of direct federal financial support, implemented through the system of inter-budgetary relations, among Russian municipalities, which include cities. Based on data from the Federal Treasury, a database of consolidated budgets of Russian municipalities for 2020–2024 has been created. Of all municipal budget revenues, only those received as a result of the provision of federal support measures in the form of targeted inter-budget transfers have been considered. It has been established that support in general is distributed among municipalities proportionally to their population size, but less populated territories are a bit more prioritized. Smaller amounts of support are received by the largest cities and middle-sized municipalities with a population of 50 to 100 thousand inhabitants. There is no clear priority for rural areas in comparison with cities. The factor of having the status of a regional capital is not significant in the distribution of federal support. The sectoral structure of support funds varies significantly between urban municipalities with different population sizes: in small cities support is shifted in favor of environmental solutions, in large cities the focus is shifted to the development of education, transport infrastructure, and environmental policy. Geographically, priority is given to geostrategic territories and cities located in regions with lower levels of budget provision.

About the Authors

D. Yu. Zemlyanskii
Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, Institute of Applied Economic Research, Center for Spatial Analysis and Regional Diagnostics
Russian Federation

Moscow



L. V. Kalinovskii
Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, Institute of Applied Economic Research, Center for Spatial Analysis and Regional Diagnostics
Russian Federation

Moscow



D. M. Medvednikova
Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, Institute of Applied Economic Research, Center for Spatial Analysis and Regional Diagnostics
Russian Federation

Moscow



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For citations:


Zemlyanskii D.Yu., Kalinovskii L.V., Medvednikova D.M. Geographical Features of Federal Fiscal Support Distribution among Russian Cities through the Mechanism of Inter-Budget Transfers. Izvestiya Rossiiskoi Akademii Nauk. Seriya Geograficheskaya. 2026;90(1):113-127. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.7868/S2658697526010082

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