The federal budget of the Russian Federation for 2026 has been approved as a document that primarily focuses on financing the war rather than on the country’s development or social support for the population.
This is reported by Finway
Main Parameters of Russia’s New Budget
In 2026, the revenues of the Russian state budget are expected to amount to 40.27 trillion rubles (equivalent to 518.9 billion USD), while planned expenditures will reach 44.06 trillion rubles (567.8 billion USD). As a result, the budget deficit is projected to be around 1.6% of the country’s total GDP.
Record Military Spending and Cuts to Social Programs
Nearly a third of the budget, specifically 12.93 trillion rubles (166.8 billion USD), is earmarked for financing the armed forces, including the procurement of weapons. This represents a record level of military spending for the country since the Soviet Union. Additionally, another 3.91 trillion rubles (50.4 billion USD) is planned for the “national security” sector, which includes the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the National Guard, intelligence services, and the penitentiary system, all of which are also involved in the aggression against Ukraine.
Overall, expenditures on the military and security forces in 2026 will amount to 16.84 trillion rubles (217.2 billion USD), or 38% of all budget funds. In comparison, in 2021, this share was only 24%.
“In total, the Russian budget’s expenditures on the army and security agencies will amount to 16.84 trillion rubles (217.2 billion USD), or 38% of the budget. In comparison, in 2021, when Russia was already preparing for the attack, this figure was 24%.”
The increase in military funding has only been made possible by a sharp reduction in expenditures on social support and the economy. Thus, in 2026, the share of social expenditures will decrease to 25% (down from pre-war 38%), while the share of expenditures on economic development will fall from 17.6% to 10.9%. Both figures are the lowest in the last two decades.