Public Debt of Russian Regions: Budget Loans as a Sustainability Factor

The article examines the possible impact of the planned write-off of two-thirds of the region’s debts on budget loans on the sustainability of regional debt. Based on the analysis of statistical data on the debts of individual regions, it was concluded that writing off debts will significantly reduce the debt burden on the budgets of the most vulnerable constituent entities of the Russian Federation. At the same time, one of the tasks in this context is maintaining budget discipline in the regions. This will require further development of the sphere of regulation and control of regional finances, including through the mechanisms of fiscal rules at the regional level.