President of the Russian Federation
President of the Russian Federation
Background
The president of the Russian Federation serves as the executive head of state of Russia and holds the highest office in the country. The office chairs the Federal State Council and acts as the supreme commander-in-chief of the Russian Armed Forces. Its responsibilities include executing federal law, appointing federal ministers and members of the judiciary, negotiating treaties with foreign powers, granting pardons and reprieves, and convening or adjourning the Federal Assembly under extraordinary circumstances. Because the presidency stands at the center of Russia’s constitutional system, it is a key institution in national decision-making and state authority.
The modern office emerged from the presidency of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR) during the final period of the Soviet Union. Boris Yeltsin was elected president of the RSFSR in 1991, becoming the first non-Communist Party member elected to a major Soviet political role. He played a central role in the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the transformation of the RSFSR into the Russian Federation. After the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis and the adoption of a new constitution, the presidency was redefined within a semi-presidential system that separates the president from the government, while still placing the office above other executive institutions.
The office has been closely associated with major political and constitutional developments in post-Soviet Russia. The 1993 Constitution established the current framework for presidential powers and succession, including the rule that the prime minister temporarily assumes presidential duties if the president is unable to serve. The presidency also became central to the system of national leadership after the 2020 constitutional amendments revised presidential term limits and reset the terms of Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev. Putin has served multiple terms as president, including elections in 2018 and 2024, making the office closely identified with contemporary Russian political, military, and economic governance.
Documents
Preliminary Assessment of Federal Budget Execution for January–February 2026
Russia's federal budget ran a 3.449 trillion ruble deficit in January–February 2026, as revenues fell 10.8% year-on-year to 4.767 trillion rubles due to a 47% drop in oil and gas revenues, while spending rose 5.8% to 8.216 trillion rubles.