According to a government document studied by the agency Reuters, Russia plans to allocate $202.58 billion to the defense sector in 2027.
This amount exceeds the initially projected budget by 27 percent and is the highest figure recorded since the start of Russia's military actions against Ukraine in 2022.
According to EOII data, the average nominal wage in EOII countries increased in the first half of 2026. The highest average monthly salary in US dollars was recorded in Russia—$1431.
Belarus (1026 USD), Kazakhstan (988 USD), Armenia (830 USD), and Kyrgyzstan (615 USD) ranked second in terms of labor pay level.
However, the picture is different when considering wage growth rates. For the period from January to June, the nominal wage in Kyrgyzstan grew by 27.5%, in Belarus by 13.2%, in Russia by 12.7%, in Kazakhstan by 10.3%, and in Armenia by 5.5%.
Even accounting for inflation, Kyrgyzstan maintains a leading position as real wages there increased by 15.3%. In Belarus, the growth was 7.5%, in Russia—6.5%, and in Armenia—0.9%. In Kazakhstan, however, real wages decreased by 0.6%.
Thus, despite the fact that the wage level remains the highest in Russia, the highest wage growth rate was noted in Kyrgyzstan. It should be noted that the EOII data is preliminary and may be updated later.
The system for training mid-level medical personnel is changing in Uzbekistan, while the training of highly qualified nurses and medical workers with higher education is being expanded. Starting from the 2027/2028 academic year, the system of training mid-level medical personnel through two-year programs will be abolished.
According to the new decree signed by the president, additional financial incentives will be introduced for bachelor's graduates in the specialties 'nurse' and 'medical worker'. Master's graduates will receive double the bonus.
The current minimum wage (MHTEKM) is 1.36 million soums. If this amount is maintained, bachelors will receive 1.36 million soums monthly, and masters will receive 2.72 million soums as an additional payment.
New specializations will be introduced starting from the 2027/2028 academic year: 'Medical Support' based on 'Nursing' and 'Higher Medical Support' based on 'Higher Nursing'. Female graduates will be awarded the qualification 'nurse', and males will be awarded 'medical worker'.
The state order for the 'Higher Medical Support' specialization will increase by at least 20% annually until the 2030/2031 academic year. Additionally, joint educational programs will be created with master's programs and foreign higher education institutions in this field.
Thus, starting from the 2027/2028 academic year, enrollment in two-year programs for training mid-level medical personnel will cease. This will allow the system to gradually shift its focus towards training highly qualified specialists with higher education.
