The City Duma canceled a support program for Russia's Black Sea fleet, stationed in Ukraine's Crimea, Kommersant reported Thursday.
The program, which earmarked 70 million rubles ($2.3 million) for the fleet this year, was axed during a budget review upon request by City Hall, which said the money was utilized "ineffectively" and that the Defense Ministry could provide the required funding.
The program was launched in 1994 under then-Mayor Yury Luzhkov and was mostly seen as an indication of his political ambitions.
(MT)