Putin approves record arms budget: a third of Russia's budget

Putin approves record arms budget: a third of Russia's budget

President Vladimir Putin has approved a record defense budget, covering a staggering one-third of total government spending. This comes as the war in Ukraine continues to deplete the resources of both sides almost three years after it began.

Record distribution and future editions

The budget published for 2025 allocates about $126 billion (13.5 trillion rubles) for national defense, accounting for 32.5% of government spending. This defense budget exceeds the previous record amount set this year by about $28 billion (3 trillion rubles).

Outlook for the next few years

The new three-year plan forecasts a slight reduction in military spending for 2026 and 2027. The budget was approved by lawmakers in both chambers of the Russian parliament.

Ukrainian conflict in focus

The War in Ukraine is the largest conflict in Europe since the Second World War. Moscow is currently making progress on key front lines and is conducting a counteroffensive in the Kursk region - Kiev's only significant military success this year.

Material and personnel in Ukraine

Ukraine is constantly in a defensive position in terms of materials and personnel, but has received billions of dollars in aid from its Western allies, including more than half a billion for new military equipment that Germany pledged on Monday.

US aid under uncertain circumstances

How much aid will continue to come from the United States could change once President Donald Trump takes office, what else cannot be foreseen.

Russia's economic challenges

As Russia has more weapons, ammunition and personnel, the pressure on its economy and population is growing. Russia has massively increased its military spending over the past two years, showing signs that the economy is overheating: Inflation is high and companies are facing labor shortages. To keep the situation under control, Russia's central bank raised interest rates to 21% in October - the highest rate in decades.

Continued support for Ukraine

Meanwhile, Ukraine continues to receive significant military support from its allies. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, one of Ukraine's main backers, announced Monday that more than 650 million euros ($684 million) in military equipment would be delivered to Ukraine, scheduled to arrive in December.

Difficulties in recruiting in Russia

Despite having many more people than Ukraine, Russia is suffering significant losses on the battlefield, and recruiting new troops is already becoming a problem. During the last partial mobilization, hundreds of thousands of men fled the country.

Support from North Korea

North Korea recently sent a wave of soldiers to support Russia on the front lines. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported in November that about 11,000 North Korean soldiers were stationed in Kursk. Some of Russia's weapons systems also come from North Korea, accounting for nearly a third of the ballistic missiles fired against Ukraine this year, according to Ukrainian defense officials.

Long-term impacts and challenges

North Korean troops could support Russia's efforts for some time - but the material losses may be harder to compensate.

This story has been updated with additional information. Reporting by CNN's Fred Pleitgen, Daria Tarasova and Lex Harvey.