Russia Is Throwing Serious Cash at Its Defense Budget

Russia will boost defense spending by 25% to record levels in 2025 with President Vladimir Putin vowing "all goals set" in the country's war with Ukraine "will be achieved." A draft budget posted on the parliament's website notes defense and security spending will account for 40% of all government spending in 2025 at a record $443 billion, per the Guardian. A record $144 billion is earmarked for national defense, about $32 billion more than this year. In comparison, about one-sixth of federal spending goes to national defense in the US.

"This increase is confirmation the economy has switched to a war footing," Russian outlet the Bell wrote, per the Guardian, noting "spending on the military and security will exceed combined expenditure on education, healthcare, social policy and the national economy." Social spending is expected to fall by 16% in 2025 to $69.5 billion. The plan could change as the proposed budget moves through lower and upper parliament before receiving Putin's signature, per the AP. But the proposal lends new urgency to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's calls for continued US assistance. (More Russia stories.)