economy
Russia's military spending in the first quarter of 2026 reached a record 5.9 trillion rubles - economist Janis Kluge
In the first quarter of 2026, Russian budget expenditures on war reached a new record of 5.9 trillion rubles. Economist Janis Kluge, a researcher at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, arrived at this conclusion after studying data from the Russian Ministry of Finance.
TL;DR
- Russian budget spending on war reached a record 5.9 trillion rubles in Q1 2026.
- This represents a 30% increase compared to Q1 of the previous year (4.5 trillion rubles).
- Secret expenditures significantly increased from 3.4 trillion to 4.9 trillion rubles.
- Approximately 38% of total federal spending (12.8 trillion rubles) in Q1 was classified.
- An estimated 85% of secret expenditures are allocated to military needs.
- War spending accounts for about 46% of total expenditures, equating to roughly 65 billion rubles per day.
- This actual spending contradicts official budget projections for a decrease in defense spending as a percentage of GDP.
- The increase might be due to 'accounting acrobatics,' with expenses from late last year potentially shifted to early 2026.
- A definitive assessment of the spending increase's cause requires the Q2 report.