Russia plans to spend a record 17.1 trillion rubles—about $203 billion—on defense in 2027, a 27% jump from the prior plan, according to government documents reviewed by Reuters, marking a sharp rise in the Russia 2027 defense budget as Moscow prolongs its war in Ukraine.
The draft figures, reported Sept. 28, 2026, show total defense outlays of 50 trillion rubles over the next three years. The government is expected to submit the budget to parliament by Oct. 1.
Russia 2027 defense budget hits wartime high
According to Reuters, the 17.1 trillion-ruble figure is roughly 27% above the 13.5 trillion rubles originally budgeted for 2027 and the highest planned level since the full-scale invasion began in 2022. For 2026, planners had listed 12.1 trillion rubles, but the actual amount is classified and will not be disclosed; some military costs can also sit in other budget lines.
The documents also raised Russia’s estimated 2026 budget deficit to 3.2% of GDP from 1.6%, with spending up 13.2% to 48.6 trillion rubles. State debt is projected to reach 21.7% of GDP in 2027, above the 20% level authorities have treated as a safety threshold.
Taxes, borrowing, and a thinner oil cushion
To finance the gap, the government announced new tax hikes for 2027, including a windfall tax on metals and mining companies expected to raise about 200 billion rubles a year. Net borrowing in 2026 is set to rise 26% to 5 trillion rubles, with 459 billion rubles drawn from the liquid portion of the National Wealth Fund. Oil and gas revenue estimates for 2026 were cut to 7.6 trillion rubles from 8.9 trillion.
Those fiscal strains land as Moscow intensifies pressure on Ukrainian cities and energy systems, including recent strikes on Kyiv communications hubs and the wider aerial campaign tracked in The Boston Report’s Ukraine coverage.
What the buildup means for the war
A larger multi-year defense envelope signals Putin’s intention to sustain high-intensity operations into 2027 rather than pivot to a quick settlement. European capitals already debating munitions, air defense, and hybrid threats—see the EU hybrid attack protocol talks—will read the budget as confirmation that Russia is planning for a long war economy.
Ukrainian and Western officials argue the spending path also deepens Russia’s reliance on wartime taxation and borrowing even as oil revenue forecasts slip. How parliament amends the draft in October will show whether the Kremlin softens the increase or locks in the record outlay.
October deadline and allied response
With the draft due in the State Duma by Oct. 1, markets and defense ministries will watch whether the classified 2026 outturn is higher still than the public plan. For NATO and Kyiv’s backers, the headline is straightforward: Moscow is budgeting for more war, not less, even as nuclear messaging and frontline offensives continue in parallel.