Matviyenko urges federal funding for regional mandates to prevent budget gaps

Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko called on federal agencies to assess the fiscal impact of new mandates on regional budgets and provide funding, citing a recent expansion of regional powers. This signals growing fiscal strain on Russian regions and potential central-regional budget tensions ahead of the federal budget approval. The statement is a policy push, not a confirmed change, and its impact depends on subsequent budget decisions.