Russia intends to allocate approximately 39.54 trillion rubles (around $477 billion at current exchange rates) for military funding and arms procurement between 2026 and 2028. This massive defense budget significantly exceeds expenditures from previous years and indicates a sharp increase in the country’s militarization.
This is reported by Business • Media
Increase in defense spending and its structure
In 2026, 12.93 trillion rubles are earmarked for the army and military orders. This is 20% more than in 2024 (10.8 trillion rubles), nearly double the level of 2023 (6.8 trillion rubles), and 3.6 times higher than the pre-war figure of 2021 (3.5 trillion rubles). The share of defense spending in the state budget will be about 30% in 2026, 29% in 2027, and 26% in 2028.
Prevalence of military spending over social sectors
Total expenditures on the army and the military-industrial complex in 2026 will be 80% higher than spending on social welfare, 160% more than expenditures for supporting the national economy, and six times greater than funding for healthcare and education. Starting in 2026, about 84% of the defense budget will be classified, significantly complicating access to information about the actual volumes and directions of funding.
“From 2026, almost the entire military budget will be classified – closed items will reach 84%.”
Despite the unprecedented increase in spending, experts emphasize that the Kremlin has reached the limits of its capabilities regarding the continuation of the war amid increasing economic pressure.