Putin's election fund is largest

Today, the Russian Central Election Commission posted data about income of resources to election funds of Russian presidential candidates. According to Sberbank of Russia, as of January 28, 2004, incumbent president Vladimir Putin had the largest election fund. It amounted to RUR14.327m (about $500,585), including RUR11.777m (about $411,488) from various legal entities, e.g. RUR4m (about $139,760) from the Rot Front confectionary producer, RUR2m (about $69,880) from GUTA telecommunications Group, RUR1m (about $34,940) from the Agropromkredit bank, $1m (about $34,940) from Sodbiznesbank, RUR777,000 (about $27,148) from the Seventh Continent retailer, etc.

However, RUR300,000 (about $10,482) was returned to one of the donors, the Magadan regional division of the fund for supporting the United Russia party, as this legal entity was incorporated later that one year before the date of the upcoming Russian presidential elections.

Putin has already spent RUR4.277m (about $149,438) from his election fund.

In total, as of January 28, 2004, funds of all presidential candidates received RUR26.552m (about $927,727). They have already spent RUR11.585m (about $404,780) for campaigning.