Russia recorded a budget deficit of 1.9% of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2023, the finance ministry said on Thursday, a slight improvement on 2022.

According to the ministry's preliminary estimate, the overall deficit stood at 3.24 trillion roubles ($36.5 billion), with total revenues increasing 4.7% year on year to 29.12 trillion roubles and spending climbing by 4% to 32.36 trillion roubles. ($1 = 88.7225 roubles) (Reporting by Darya Korsunskaya and Alexander Marrow; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)