Conflicts

The amount spent  on the war by Russian regions and newly occupied territories in Ukraine this year is expected to exceed 800 billion rubles (7.7 billion euros) in total, almost one and a half times more than last year.

This is a conservative estimate, and doesn't even take into account Moscow's contribution. In some regions, budget funds allocated to financing the war now exceed those devoted to healthcare.

At the end of October, Russia's lower house of parliament, the State Duma, approved the first reading of the draft 2025 federal budget and the planned expenditure for 2026-2027.

Defense remains the largest item of expenditure, accounting for almost a third (32%) of total federal spending next year, or 13,500 billion rubles (128 billion euros).

A significant proportion of Russian military spending now comes from the country's regions, which have collectively allocated 813.4 billion rubles (7.8 billion euros) to the war efforts this year, an increase of over 38% on the 588 billion rubles (5.6 billion euros) spent in 2021.

By comparison, regional spending on non-war-related social benefits rose by just 16% over the same period.

(MH with FM/Source: Novaya Gazeta/Photo: DPA/ Anadolu/Kremlin Press Office)