President Putin raises salary for himself and Prime Minister Medvedev

Russian President Vladimir Putin has just signed a decree to increase his salary and that of Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev by 2.65 times.

The information was officially posted on the Kremlin website today (April 14), a few days after the income of the Russian President and other government officials in 2013 was announced. The last time the salaries of government officials were increased was in 2012, increasing about 1,752 USD per month for the President and 1,400 USD per month for the Prime Minister.

In 2013, Mr. Putin's income was 3.6 million rubles (about 103,000 USD), down about 2.2 million rubles compared to 2012. Meanwhile, Mr. Medvedev's total income also decreased about 1.5 million rubles compared to 2012, down to more than 4.2 million rubles (about 117,000 USD).

The income of Russia's two top leaders is lower than that of many other Kremlin officials and the country's ministers.

Previously, at the end of 2013, when asked why Mr. Putin increased the salaries of ministers and deputy ministers but kept his own salary the same, President Putin said that he paid high and appropriate salaries to those who were good and helpful to the country, "as for me and the Prime Minister, that salary is enough."./.

According to vov