MOSCOW, May 4 (Reuters) - Russia's oil wealth funds lost $13 billion in value over the last month, falling to around $193 billion, as Russia taps into the cash pot to cover its budget deficit, the finance ministry said on Monday.
The Reserve Fund, designated for plugging holes in the federal budget, is currently worth 3.6 billion roubles or $106.81 billion, down from 4.1 trillion roubles on April 1.
Russia is expected to post its first budget deficit in a decade this year, of around 3 trillion roubles, as the economy slips into recession and oil prices remain low.
The Finance Ministry said dollars, euros and sterling from the Reserve Fund were converted into a total of 400 billion roubles in April, and the money transferred into the federal budget, taking the value of the transfers-to-date to 1 trillion.
The Reserve Fund is expected to run out by the end of next year, while budget deficits last until at least 2011.
The second outlet for Russia's oil revenues, the National Wealth Fund, held broadly steady at 2.9 trillion roubles or $86.3 billion. The NWF is designated for longer term projects although officials have said some of the money could be used to plug a deficit in the state pension fund.
Under the going exchange rate on April 1, the combined value of the oil wealth funds was around $206 billion a month ago.
Markets watch the data on the funds as one measure of the reserves Russia has to help it ride out the ongoing market and economic turmoil, which has put pressure on public finances and caused a sharp devaluation of the rouble. (Reporting by Toni Vorobyova)