MOSCOW, December 15. /TASS/. Budget deficit in Russia is likely to be below 2% of GDP, which will allow maintaining measures to support families, President Vladimir Putin said.

"Prime Minister [Mikhail Mishustin] reported yesterday evening that budget deficit will most likely be even below 2%, which enables the government to keep elements of support on key areas of social policy, including support of large familities," he said.

Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov told reporters in November that the country’s federal budget deficit was expected at 1% of GDP by the end of 2023.