Russia has doubled its 2023 defense spending target to more than $100 billion - a third of all public expenditure - a government document reviewed by Reuters showed, as the costs of the war in Ukraine spiral and place growing strain on Moscow's finances, APA reports.
The figures shed light on Russia's spending on the conflict at a time when sector-specific budget expenditure data is no longer published.
They show that in the first half of 2023 alone, Russia spent 12%, or 600 billion roubles, more on defense than the 4.98 trillion roubles ($54 billion) it had originally targeted for 2023.
Defense spending in the first six months of 2023 amounted to 5.59 trillion roubles, 37.3% of a total 14.97 trillion roubles spent in the period, the document showed. Russia's budget plan envisages 17.1% of total funds spent on "National Defence".
Russia's government and finance ministry did not respond to requests for comment on the numbers.
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