The government is getting ready for a change in the way it manages closed cities (ZATOs). As far as I can tell, starting in January 2006, when the new law on local self-governance enters into force, closed cities will no longer receive money directly from the federal budget the way they used to. The transition may be quite painful for some, so the government is trying to ease it.

According to the report, there are 43 closed cities in Russia today. Ten of them are Rosatom cities, 27 – cities of the Ministry of Defense (14 are Strategic Rocket Forces, 3 – Space Forces, and 8 – the Navy), five – of Rosprom (Federal Agency of Industry), and one – of Roskosmos.