Key indicators for SME`s development in 2022

The study examines the effect of the crisis associated with coronavirus infection and increased sanctions pressure on the sector of small and medium-sized businesses in the Russian Federation in 2022. This sector can be considered the most susceptible to the influence of crisis phenomena in the economy. Key indicators of this businesses are analyzed, including the number of firms, employment, revenue and others. The study uses data provided by official sources, which include the Unified Register of Small and Medium-Sized Businesses, Rosstat, the Federal Tax Service and the Central Bank of the Russian Federation. The authors use data both for the whole country and in the regional context. Based on the analysis of these indicators, the authors draw several key conclusions. Firstly, the sector of small and medium sized businesses is managing the crisis better than expected, the values of key activity indicators have reached or have already exceeded the crisis values. Secondly, there is a noticeable trend towards a decrease in the average size of enterprises. It can be noted that the number of small businesses and self-employed citizens. This may be due to the need for enterprises to reduce the tax burden by transferring part of the employees to the self-employed format. Finally, we can note the increased credit burden on representatives of small and medium-sized businesses. In this regard, we propose to extend the program of subsidized lending for them, which is necessary for their adequate functioning. In the future, we plan to evaluate the effectiveness of the government's policy of supporting small and medium-sized businesses and provide recommendations for its improvement.