Further increases in defense spending are in the works in Russia for next year, after a record increase in 2024. In 2025, defense spending is expected to reach 6.2 percent of gross domestic product, with an allocation of 13.2 trillion rubles, the equivalent of $142 billion, up from 10.4 trillion this year, Bloomberg reports, citing proposals for next year's budget ahead of the presentation to the Duma on Monday of the forecast budget for the period 2025-2027. Spending on defense and national security will reach 40 percent of total projected spending, exceeding the sum of items for education, health, social policies, and economic development. Thirty percent of the 2025 budget, a figure equal to 12.9 trillion rubles, will be allocated to classified spending, 11.1 trillion rubles more than in 2024. The projected deficit will be equal to 0.5 of GDP, a marked improvement from 1.7 percent in 2024, thanks to tax increases, a progressive tax on assets, and expected higher profits from extra energy.
