Russia’s spending plans show Putin preparing for years of war

Russian President Vladimir Putin visits an observation post during the Center-2026 strategic command-and-staff exercise at the Chebarkulsky training ground in Russia's Chelyabinsk region on Friday. | Sputnik / POOL / VIA AFP-JIJI

Bloomberg

Oct 3, 2026

Russia is preparing for the war in Ukraine to continue for years by planning record war spending, abandoning plans to rein in military outlays.

The shift offers one of the clearest indications yet of how deeply embedded conflict has become in Russian President Vladimir Putin’s priorities, even as strain on the economy and public finances mounts. It’s also likely to ratchet up pressure on Europe, as he seeks to deter the continent’s continued support of Ukraine. 

Projected military expenditures next year of 17.1 trillion rubles ($205 billion) would amount to an annual increase of more than 40% compared to this year’s planned defense outlays — actual totals remain classified — and a nearly 380% rise from the year before the war began. Officials foresee it easing only slightly to 16.6 trillion rubles in 2028 and 16.3 trillion rubles in 2029.

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