Russia's Defense Budget Surge: $30,000,000,000 More for the War in Ukraine

Russia plans to increase its defense spending by $30 billion in 2025 as it grapples with mounting pressure to win the war in Ukraine. A draft federal budget, recently approved by the Russian Cabinet, will allocate around $140 billion to military spending next year, with further increases planned through 2027.

What You Need to Know: Russia plans to increase its defense spending by $30 billion in 2025 as it grapples with mounting pressure to win the war in Ukraine. A draft federal budget, recently approved by the Russian Cabinet, will allocate around $140 billion to military spending next year, with further increases planned through 2027.

-However, military experts argue that Russia’s challenges in Ukraine go beyond funding. Leadership deficits, structural issues, low morale, and high casualty rates continue to limit the Kremlin’s effectiveness.

-Despite a vast troop presence, Russia’s reliance on foreign equipment and untrained recruits may hinder any significant gains on the battlefield.

Kremlin Boosts Military Spending by $30 Billion to Win Ukraine Conflict

Russia seeks to spend an additional thirty billion USD on its defense spending next year as pressure to win in Ukraine mounts.  

The Russian government is reviewing a draft budget that would increase its military spending by trillions of rubles for the next three years.  

Spending to Win in the Ukraine War 

Over the weekend, the Russian Cabinet of Ministers gave the green light on a draft federal budget that will span from 2025 to 2027. The next step is to draft the budget to receive approval from the Russian State Duma.  

“The Russian government is reportedly planning to further increase defense spending in 2025, although Kremlin officials appear to be highlighting planned social spending while avoiding discussions of increased defense spending,” the Institute for the Study of War assessed in its latest operational estimate.  

Russian legislators are contemplating quite a large increase in defense spending. According to reports, the draft budget includes proposals for a thirty billion USD increase in defense spending just in 2025. Specifically, Russian legislators are proposing a jump from 10.4 trillion rubles, approximately $110 billion, in 2024 to 13.2 trillion rubles, approximately $140 billion, in 2025. Subsequent years in the proposed budget would include additional increases in military spending.  

To finance this additional expenditure, the Russian government relies on increased federal revenues that could reach almost twelve percent. Overall, the Kremlin plans to spend almost six-and-a-half percent of its total budget on defense. In comparison, the United States, which has the largest defense budget in the world, spent $916 billion, or three-and-a-half percent of its gross domestic product, in 2023. 

It's Not Just About Money  

But the main issue for Russia in Ukraine isn’t necessarily defense spending. Regardless of how much the Kremlin decides to spend, the Russian military is underperforming in Ukraine.  

A lack of competent leadership combined with structural issues, for example, an almost non-existent non-commissioned officer corps, poor morale, and questionable equipment are limiting the Kremlin’s chances of success in Ukraine. Moscow could divert additional funds to purchase equipment and munitions from foreign partners, such as North Korea, Iran, and China.  

But even such equipment won’t cure the leadership and structural issues that plague the Russian military. Nor will additional funds produce more competent troops to fight in the trenches. Despite its vast population, Russia is facing certain manpower shortages on the frontlines. But it isn’t because it doesn’t have a great number of troops, Western intelligence estimates put the number of Russian forces inside Ukraine to almost 500,000, but because it loses great numbers of men every day.  

The Russian forces lost more than 1,000 men every day, killed or wounded. That is quite a large number of men to lose and it can quickly lead to a lack of experienced troops. Moreover, the pressure to keep attacking and the attritional strategy of the Kremlin means that new Russian troops don’t have sufficient time to train properly. As a result, they easily become casualties in a relentlessly brutal cycle.  

About the Author: 

Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing in special operations and a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ). He holds a BA from the Johns Hopkins University and an MA from the Johns Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP.

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