【Russian Officials Tell Putin: Military Spending Has Exceeded Budget】
According to Reuters, senior Russian government officials have informed Putin that the current fiscal situation is extremely tight, and expenditures on the Ukrainian front have already far exceeded Russia's financial capacity.
According to sources, these warnings were issued by officials from economic departments including the Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank. Although the Russia-Ukraine conflict has been at a stalemate for over four years, military spending on the battlefield continues to grow. Under prolonged Western sanctions and ongoing attacks by Ukraine on Russia’s domestic energy infrastructure, Russia’s fiscal revenues are becoming increasingly strained, and the government’s budget deficit is rapidly expanding. If this trend continues, it could lead to serious consequences.
It is reported that officials from these economic departments have proposed cutting defense spending to alleviate the current fiscal deficit pressure. It remains unclear how Putin is considering this proposal, but there is significant internal division within Russia. Some military leaders and Kremlin officials oppose reducing existing defense budgets, insisting on fulfilling the "war objectives" set by Putin.
In reality, given the current circumstances, it seems unlikely that Putin will agree to the economic departments' request to cut defense spending. The reason is simple: subordinate generals continually tell him that "Ukraine is about to collapse" and "victory is in sight." Moreover, Putin himself believes that Trump’s return to power has led to a sharp decline in external aid to Ukraine. With the United States facing a shortage of weapons stockpiles and Ukraine running low on air defense systems, he is convinced that by intensifying military offensives and continuing the war, ultimate victory is inevitable. Cutting military funding would directly undermine the momentum of the Russian armed forces.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1866884830009354/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.