In a back room in the Kremlin, Putin was gathered with his advisors to discuss their recent contributions to the country. These weren’t moral efforts, but material payments into the central coffers. In Russia, banking is a matter of huge importance to people. The history of it stretches back far, and it’s survived the many years of tumult and change that’s happened politically.
From its central leadership, new regimes are issued to handle public finances and to take care of matters relating to taxation. It’s not always punishing to be Russian in these matters, but it depends on who you are. Especially today, as the paper ledgers are gone and have been replaced with digital systems, your personal circumstances matter to anyone in authority.
Putin’s question was at the behest of such staff, and he put it to them in terms shown to him on a display in a program opened up on a laptop screen called “Russian Income Strategies”, a seemingly relevant piece of software only because of the people that had been assembled for the meeting in hand.
The sighs were audible, and as their amounts were read out, they acknowledged their names for the record, and the transactions were digitally authorised. This was the Russian way in the twenty-first century played out for the small group loyal to him. It was also a reminder of the hold the State of Russia has over those that assume to rise to such positions.
In the years to come, many scenarios like this will play out across Russia in the citizenry. The current war has to be paid off completely, and the shrewd bankers that run Moscow will want all the costs to be accounted for until its balance is cleared. The reality will harden opinions of central leadership, but it’s just a part of the way life is there.