Russia spends about $2.7 billion a week on the war against Ukraine
Russian authorities have sharply increased funding for the war against Ukraine and by the end of 2025, spending exceeded the planned level by almost a fifth. This was reported by the Centre for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine.
According to the Russian Ministry of Defence, the total military expenditures of the Russian Federation in 2025 will amount to 15.9 trillion rubles or about $198.8 billion. This corresponds to 7.3 per cent of the country's gross domestic product. Compared to the initial budget estimates, the excess is 2.4 trillion rubles, or approximately $30 billion.
On average, Russia spends 213 billion rubles a week on the war. In terms of dollars, this is about $2.7 billion. The Centre for Public Policy notes that this amount is comparable to the annual budget of one large region of the Russian Federation.
Analysts emphasise that this is only the direct cost of the Ministry of Defence. Additional financial burden is borne by regions that pay for contracts with the military, compensation to the families of the victims, treatment of the wounded, prosthetics and burial. For many federal subjects, these costs are becoming critical.
The Disinformation Counteraction Centre notes that even against the backdrop of a deficit budget and a reduction in oil and gas revenues, the Kremlin continues to increase military spending. This shows that the war and imperial ambitions are more important to the Russian leadership than the country's economic stability.
