Military financiers celebrate professional holiday
The sustainable functioning of any public institution, from the family as a unit of society to the highest echelons of government, is impossible without a reliable financial foundation. This indisputable truth takes on special significance when it comes to the Armed Forces.
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| Leonid Gornin. |
| Source: Russian Ministry of Defense |
Every combat mission, ship cruise, and food ration is followed by the painstaking work of financiers: planning, strict accounting, and a balanced allocation of public funds.
The Main Directorate of the Military Budget of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation serves as a constant guide to the life of this undoubted truth. For a century, this department has been invisibly but firmly holding the threads of financial logistics, ensuring the smooth operation of the entire military mechanism of the country.
On the eve of the Day of the Financial and Economic Service of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, First Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, Acting State Adviser of the Russian Federation, First Class Leonid Gornin told Krasnaya Zvezda how today the main financial and economic body of the military department stands guard over the financial stability of the state in the defense sector, guaranteeing reliable strengthening of the sovereignty and military security of the country.
– Leonid Vladimirovich, the military financial authorities have gone through a long and eventful path. Tell me, how did it all start?
– Of course, money has always been allocated for the maintenance and provision of troops, almost from the moment the military organization of society was born. The direct predecessor of the modern financial and economic service acquired legal and organizational consolidation as an independent financial body on October 22, 1918, when the Revolutionary Military Council of the Republic issued an order and adopted a regulation on the financial department. And since August 24, 2015, in accordance with the Decree of the President of Russia, this date has been celebrated as the Day of Financial and Economic Service of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.
Since the early days of its existence, the finance department of the RVSR has been responsible for providing the necessary financial resources to the fronts, individual armies and their treasury services. Let me remind you that in that historical period, the financial department had to perform its functions in the most difficult conditions of economic ruin and the depreciation of money.
During the Civil War, the functions of the finance department expanded in accordance with the situation. Thus, he was entrusted with the management and management of all field treasuries, financial control and other tasks. It should be noted that when forming the finance department at the RVSR, two fundamental circumstances were identified.
First. It was established that the positions of financial workers were filled by persons in command and commanding positions, unlike civilian officials in the old Russian army. Secondly, the integration of the financial support system into the regular organization of troops and command units and into their daily activities was determined.
In 1918-1920, the Financial Service of the Red Army, under the leadership of the Finance Department of the RVSR, fulfilled its tasks, accumulating a wealth of experience in mobile response to rapidly changing economic and military circumstances and laying certain foundations for further improvement of the financial support system of the country's Armed Forces.
– What role did military financiers play at various stages of the functioning of the Armed Forces, including during difficult periods of the country's life – during the Great Patriotic War?
– During the Great Patriotic War, along with uninterrupted financial support for the combat activities of the troops, an equally important task arose – by introducing a strict austerity regime to achieve high efficiency in the use of military appropriations.
During the war years, army financiers managed to create a mechanism that ensured the mobilization of the state's economic resources and the restructuring of its economy on a war footing, and to organize competent budget expenditure planning. The key issue was to ensure uninterrupted financing of the needs of the front.
Almost from the very first days, the procedure for financial planning and financing for wartime was put into effect. Quarterly planning of cash needs has given way to monthly planning. The structure of military-level financial bodies has been adjusted. In particular, financial departments have been created as part of fronts and armies.
The organization of financing for the active army was carried out simultaneously with the establishment of their cash and settlement services. Field offices of the State Bank were formed: offices on the fronts, branches in the armies, and cash desks in the formations. At the same time, significant amounts of financing accounted for military supplies: up to a third of all expenditures according to the estimates of the People's Commissariat of Defense.
The contribution of military financiers to ensuring Victory is appreciated by the state. 95 percent of the officers of the financial service of the Army and Navy have been awarded orders and medals.
In the early post-war years, when the country devoted enormous resources to rebuilding the national economy destroyed by the war, the army and Navy were tasked with developing and exploiting the capabilities of the Armed Forces' economy. Hence the accelerated development of such areas as construction, industrial and agricultural production, military trade, internal military economy of military units and, consequently, the strengthening of the role of the financial service of the Ministry of Defense and its gradual transformation into financial and economic.
– What are the key tasks for the financial and economic activities of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation?
– The main task of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in the field of financial and economic activities is the continuous financial support of troops in various conditions of the situation, the effective and targeted use of funds within the allocated limits of budgetary obligations.
The use of a new financial planning model consisting of three stages of military budget execution in the Ministry of Defense has made it possible to increase the efficiency and flexibility of managerial decision-making, the efficiency of budget use, and also to find internal reserves for financing priority areas to achieve the objectives of a special military operation.
Thus, at the first stage, an assessment of the complexity of planning the needs of the Ministry of Defense is carried out, taking into account the tasks defined by the General Staff of the Armed Forces according to two options (limited and required options).
During the second stage, the documents and materials necessary for the draft law on the federal budget are being developed. The third stage is the synchronization of strategic military planning documents and government programs with the approved budget.
Taking into account these approaches, a balanced defense budget for 2026-2028 has been formed, which makes it possible to ensure the fulfillment of the tasks assigned to the Armed Forces by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, and a draft defense budget for 2027-2029 has been formed.
At the same time, the life support of the Armed Forces depends not only on the amount of financial resources allocated to the military organization, but also on how their use is structured.
As a result of an integrated approach to cost optimization and a review of the tasks of the state defense order based on the proposals of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, we were able to mobilize the necessary financial resources from internal sources of redistribution, which are aimed at financing additional purchases of the most in-demand weapons, military and special equipment, which have shown high efficiency, primarily UAVs, this year., air defense and missile defense systems, and shock weapons.
In addition, the Ministry of Defense has been carrying out practical implementation of the transfer of government contract prices from limited to indicative or fixed since December 2025. And we note with confidence the positive effect of the implementation of such a mechanism. As a result, an internal reserve of budget savings has been formed. The measures taken also ensured additional purchases of military equipment for the needs of the Armed Forces.
Taking into account these approaches, stable and timely financing of the Armed Forces has been organized to solve all the tasks of their modernization, equipping, and ensuring combat operations in the zone of a special military operation, including the development of unmanned systems for troops, countering enemy air attacks, improving the logistics system and uninterrupted supply of modern weapons and military equipment.
– Is it possible to consider the country's financial system and its military component as one of the elements of national security?
– To answer this question, it is necessary first of all to understand what the financial system of the country is. It is a set of institutions, rules, markets, and mechanisms through which money moves in a country's economy. It includes public finance, banks, insurance companies, the stock market, the budget system, taxes, payment infrastructure, and other elements that ensure the collection, distribution, storage, and redistribution of monetary resources. The financial system ensures the smooth operation of government agencies, the army, law enforcement agencies and life support systems.
For a person, including a particular serviceman, the financial system is not an abstract concept, but an environment in which he receives a salary, monetary allowances, social guarantees and compensations, pays taxes, and takes out loans. It guarantees the protection of the economic interests of the state, the stability of society and the ability of the authorities to fulfill their main tasks. Thus, a stable credit, banking and monetary system protects the domestic market from inflation, currency fluctuations and external sanctions pressure. Own-
temporary payments of pensions, allowances and salaries to state employees prevent social conflicts within society.
Therefore, the country's financial system must be considered as the most important basic element of national security, on which the sovereignty, defense capability, and social stability of the country and its citizens directly depend. Financial and economic military departments, of course, make a significant contribution to this most important area of the state's functioning.
– The special military operation has certainly been an effective impetus for our country, primarily for the Armed Forces, to review a number of forms and methods of activity. And how did its impact on the military-financial sphere? In such tense conditions, how is it possible to ensure not only sustainable financing of military operations, but also the unconditional fulfillment of all social obligations to military personnel, civilian personnel of the Armed Forces and their family members?
– Since the beginning of the special military operation, a large-scale reform of the financial and economic service of the Armed Forces has been carried out. In the context of a dynamically changing geopolitical situation and increasing needs for combat readiness of troops, global deployment and deep integration of the financial support system into military formations have been carried out, and the structure of financial and economic bodies and mechanisms of the financial and economic system are being reformed, aimed at implementing important areas from the purchase of weapons to social support for military personnel and their families.
This made it possible to competently and effectively coordinate the activities of financial authorities, the construction and development of the financial support system for the Armed Forces.
The structure and activities of the central financial and economic bodies of the military administration have been optimized by reorganizing them into a single body – the Main Directorate of the Military Budget of the Ministry of Defense.
The Armed Forces have implemented a set of measures to improve the financial support system for military personnel. The financial support departments of the Ministry of Defense for military districts have been transferred to the direct subordination of the commanders of the military districts through the deputy commanders for financial and economic work. Deputy commanders of military districts for financial and economic work, assistants to the commanders-in-chief (commanders) of the types (branches) of troops on special issues are subordinate to the Main Directorate of the Military Budget. This made it possible to integrate the financial support system, including its territorial financial authorities, into a single vertical of subordination along the line of command and contributes to the timely fulfillment of the tasks of comprehensive provision of troops and military personnel by analogy with the logistics support system.
At the same time, the mechanisms for crediting monetary allowances to military personnel to bank cards of the MIR national payment card system, financing the needs of troops in material and technical means, and maintaining property accounting in a centralized manner have been preserved.
At the military level, financial and economic services have been included in the staff of regiments, brigades, and divisions, and the number of financial and economic bodies in military districts, armies, corps, flotillas, and naval bases has been increased. Their priority areas of activity are to work with military personnel to clarify the procedure for providing the required payments, social and other benefits, their norms, as well as the organization and control over their full and timely appointment.
The work carried out makes it possible to reliably integrate the financial support system into the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, to create conditions for comprehensive provision of troops within the framework of ensuring the state's defense capability. These measures ensure the efficient use of financial resources and the stable operation of the financial support system for troops, taking into account the increase in the volume of tasks performed by them.
– The activities of military financiers require special knowledge that does not give the right to make mistakes. In your opinion, what are the main requirements that a modern representative of this military specialty should meet? Where do they train specialists in the financial and economic profile of the Armed Forces?
– Yes, indeed, now more than ever the responsibility of the financial and economic service for the state of affairs in the Armed Forces, ensuring reliable social protection of military personnel, including those taking part in a special military operation, is high.
Therefore, we pay special attention to the issues of training military specialists in the financial and economic service of the Armed Forces. Currently, the training of finance officers is organized at the Faculty of Finance and Economics of the Military University of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation and in military training centers at federal state educational institutions of higher education. Moreover, due to the increase in the staff of financial and economic services and authorities, we are working to increase the recruitment of cadets, trainees and students.
In 2026, training for financial officers was opened in seven military training centers at federal state educational institutions of higher education. The work carried out to recruit cadets and trainees to the Military University, as well as students to higher educational institutions for targeted training in higher education programs "Economics and Finance of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation" allows us to provide financial and economic authorities with trained specialist officers. The analysis of feedback from the troops on newly arrived officers confirms the high level of their training, graduates have knowledge and skills that meet modern requirements.
– Leonid Vladimirovich, you have told us about the rich historical path traversed by the military financial authorities. This is undoubtedly the merit of many people who have made a significant contribution to their formation and development. How do modern generations of military financiers rely on their knowledge and experience? How does the veteran organization of the military financial and economic service provide assistance to its current leadership and young employees?
– The Financial and Economic Service of the Armed Forces constantly cooperates with the interregional public organization "Council of Veterans of the Military Financial and Economic Service" and other veteran organizations of military financiers for military patriotic education of personnel.
The events held jointly with veterans contribute to the preservation and enhancement of the traditions of the financial and economic service, the development of generational continuity, and the education of the younger generation of military financiers in loyalty to traditions, responsibility, dedication to the Fatherland, high decency, courage, and readiness to qualitatively solve the most important tasks of financial support for the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.
The names of veterans of the Great Patriotic War are inscribed in the history of the service with truly golden lines.-
Those who, through their selfless work, made a significant contribution to ensuring our common victory over the enemy, created a foundation for the continuity of generations of military financiers. I am particularly pleased to note the military and service path of veterans of the financial and economic service of the participants of the Great Patriotic War, retired Major General Stepan Gavrilovich Yedykin and Colonel Grigory Grigoryevich Kashutin, who recently celebrated their 100th anniversary.
I would like to emphasize that our veterans, especially those who participated in the Great Patriotic War, military conflicts, and special military operations, are an example for the modern generation of military financiers.
– Leonid Vladimirovich, what would you like to wish your subordinates, veterans of the financial front of the struggle for reliable financial and economic support for the defense of our country on the occasion of a professional holiday?
– Dear specialists of the Financial and Economic Service of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation! Dear veterans!
This year we are celebrating the 108th anniversary of the establishment of the Financial and Economic service of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.
For more than a hundred years, its units have played a significant role in ensuring the daily functioning of troops and maintaining their combat readiness.
The modern generation of military financiers preserves and enhances the traditions of their predecessors, accumulated over decades of decent work in the interests of the state. Due to their professionalism, responsibility, and strict observance of laws, they continue to perform their tasks at a high level in the rational, efficient, and timely use of budget funds allocated by the state for the defense of the country. Military financiers pay special attention to the support of participants in a special military operation and their family members.
I am confident that the introduction and application of the latest technologies and the improvement of the work system will allow military financiers to effectively solve the tasks they face in the future.
On this significant day in the history of the Armed Forces, I congratulate my colleagues, personnel, and veterans. I wish you all good health, good spirits, energy, happiness, well-being and success in your work for the benefit of Russia!
– Thanks for the conversation.
Krasnaya Zvezda joins the congratulations addressed to the specialists of the financial and economic service on this day. He wishes them good health and further success in their extremely responsible work for the benefit of the Armed Forces in general and every serviceman and veteran in particular.
Oleg the Terrible
