Russia will spend nearly $200 million on a program to extend Putin's life

Russia’s 2027–2029 budget allocates approximately $221 million for the national project “New Technologies for Health Preservation.” Officially, its goal is to develop innovative medications, advance biomedicine, and advance longevity technologies.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the project is linked to efforts to extend the life of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. However, the Kremlin has not officially stated such goals.

 In 2027, approximately $70.5 million is planned to be allocated to the program, and in 2028, nearly $79.9 million. In 2029, funding is expected to be reduced to approximately $71.1 million, which will still be higher than the 2026 level.

Nearly $13.9 million in 2027 is earmarked for the development of biomedical and cognitive technologies of the future. Of that amount, about $3.5 million is to go toward bioprinting of tissues and organs, $7.7 million toward preventive medicine and healthy longevity technologies, and another $1.7 million toward research into the causes of aging.

According to the WSJ, as part of the project, scientists are working, in particular, on slowing cellular aging through gene therapy and growing organs for transplantation. They are also exploring the possibility of using genetically modified mini-pigs—the first such animal is expected to be created by 2030.

Source: The Wall Street Journal

Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev stated that Europe should reconsider the balance between military, economic, and diplomatic tools and prioritize diplomacy in its relations with Russia. According to him, further escalation could lead to the risk of a Russian nuclear strike.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated that the North Atlantic Alliance sees no immediate threat to its territory and views nuclear blackmail by Russia as an attempt to divert attention from its own defeats in Ukraine.