In the budget proposed by the Kremlin for next year, the military allocation is increased by nearly 30 percent, following large increases in 2023 and 2024. The parliament's lower house giving the green light for this is to be regarded as a mere formality.
This amounts to 13.5 billion Russian rubles, equivalent to approximately 1.3 billion Swedish kronor (1.3 million million). This is more than what the Russian state intends to allocate in total for healthcare, social commitments, and education.
Russia's transition to a war economy during the ongoing invasion of Ukraine, with massive state investments, is seen as crucial for the Russian economy's vitality. However, independent analysts also assess that it is short-term stimulus.
In addition to the purely military budget allocations, further funds are added, as some military-related expenses fall under other categories, such as border security, or in regional budgets.
President Vladimir Putin is to sign the budget legislation in a final step.
