MOSCOW: Russia said on Thursday that it plans to raise defence spending by almost 70% next year, funneling massive resources into its Ukraine offensive to fight what it calls a “hybrid war” unleashed by the West.
With Russia’s “special military operation” now dragging through its 20th month, both sides have been digging deep and getting weapons from allies in preparation for a prolonged conflict.
The announcement came as NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg and the defence ministers of France and Britain visited Kyiv, where President Volodymyr Zelensky lobbied for more air defence systems.
We need to get through this winter together, to protect our people’s lives and energy infrastructure, President Zelensky told Jens Stoltenberg, warning of a fresh series of Russian strikes after last year’s attacks left millions short of water and heating.
Ukraine’s newly appointed defence minister Rustem Umerov, after meeting his UK counterpart Grant Shapps, said winter is coming but we are ready.
Kyiv has repeatedly asked for more Western weapons, including longer-range missiles, to help break through Moscow’s positions and launch attacks deep within Russian-controlled territory.
It started its counter-offensive in June but has acknowledged slow progress as its troops encounter lines of heavily fortified Russian defences.
Stoltenberg acknowledged that Ukraine’s military was facing tough fighting as it slowly claws back territory from Russian troops, but said Kyiv was gaining ground.
He said that every meter that Ukrainian troops regain is a metre that Russia loses. Russia is fighting for imperialist delusions.
The speed of Ukraine’s advances has raised concerns in some Western nations over Kyiv’s military strategy, but Stoltenberg again pledged that the US-led defence bloc was unwavering in its support.
He told Zelensky during his unannounced visit to Kyiv that NATO will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes. Zelensky meanwhile said it was a matter of time before his country joins the alliance.
Russia’s hopes
When the Kremlin started its large-scale military operation in Ukraine in 2022, it had hoped to quickly seize territory and to topple the Ukrainian government within days.
According to a finance ministry document released on Thursday, defence spending is set to jump by over 68% year-on-year (YoY) to almost 10.8 trillion rubles (111.15 billion dollars) — more than spending allocated for social policy.
