Russia ran a budget deficit of 3.2 trillion roubles ($39.6 billion), or 1.5% of gross domestic product, in the first four months of the year, the finance ministry said on Wednesday, citing preliminary data. The figure compares with a deficit of 0.6% of GDP in the same period of last year. The ministry said that advance payments to finance budget expenditure in January were behind the increase. "This is mainly due to the accelerated financing of expenses in January of this year, as well as the decrease in oil and gas revenue inflows, but it will not affect the execution of the target parameters of the structural balance for the year 2025 overall," a ministry statement said.