Putin approved the Russian budget for 2026: how much money the Kremlin will allocate to the war against Ukraine
фото: REUTERS
Russia has officially approved the federal budget for 2026, which includes record spending on the army and security forces. The document was signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin after it was approved by both houses of parliament.
This is reported by The Moscow Times .
Russia’s federal budget for 2026 provides for a significant increase in spending on the army and security forces. The document was approved by parliament within two weeks, after which it was signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
According to the information, Russia plans to receive 40.27 trillion rubles in revenue and spend 44.06 trillion rubles. The budget deficit will be about 1.6% of the country’s GDP.
A separate article defines the costs of the war against Ukraine. The Russian government allocates 12.93 trillion rubles ($166.8 billion) for the army and weapons purchases, which is almost 30% of the entire budget . Journalists note that this is the highest military spending since the times of the Soviet Union.
The budget also includes 3.91 trillion rubles for so-called national security. These funds are directed to finance the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Russian National Guard, special services, and the penitentiary system, which are also involved in the war against Ukraine.
Total spending on the army and security forces will amount to 16.84 trillion rubles, or 38% of the budget . For comparison, in 2021 this figure was 24%.
The increase in military spending comes at the expense of reducing social and economic spending. The share of social spending is reduced to 25%, which is the lowest figure in 20 years. Spending on supporting the economy is reduced to 10.9%.
Journalists add that the financing of the war is carried out not only through direct budget expenditures. Part of the burden is borne by regional budgets, which pay for payments to contractors. In addition, there are mechanisms for indirect financing of defense plants through the obligation of banks to provide them with loans, which are subsequently covered by the state.
Recall that as a result of international sanctions , Russia will have a budget deficit of at least $100 billion in 2026 , and according to optimistic forecasts, up to $130 billion.
Earlier,the Russian government announced large-scale spending cuts for 18 state programs in 2026 , with savings exceeding 207 billion rubles. At the same time, some industries will suffer serious losses, while funding for propaganda and government agencies will increase.
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