Overview
- The Bell reported a closed meeting with top businessmen after a major industry congress discussed how to pay for the war and said officials still plan to seize all of Donbass.
- Rosneft chief Igor Sechin proposed raising “donations” through military bonds, a type of state debt sold to private buyers to bring in cash.
- The outlet said billionaire Suleiman Kerimov pledged 100 billion rubles, and another major businessman voiced support without being named.
- Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied that President Putin asked for money and said the idea came from one entrepreneur.
- The publication tied the idea to rising military costs and a federal budget shortfall of more than 3 trillion rubles in the first two months of the year.