Russia Plans 2026 Defense Cuts While Boosting Propaganda Funding

Russia's draft federal budget for 2026 reveals a slight decrease in defense spending compared to 2025, with allocations dropping from 13.5 trillion rubles to about 13 trillion rubles ($157 billion). Despite this reduction, funding for internal security forces will increase, and the overall defense and security budget will remain substantial at approximately 16.8 trillion rubles, accounting for 38% of total budget expenditures. Social benefits and compensation for military personnel and their families are set to be significantly cut, including a reduction in the Defenders of the Fatherland Fund by more than half. Meanwhile, the Kremlin plans a major boost in funding for state propaganda, particularly state-controlled television, with spending rising to 106.4 billion rubles ($1.28 billion), reflecting a renewed emphasis on traditional media for information control. Analysts warn that actual military spending may be higher than the budgeted figures due to classified expenditures and the possibility of rapid increases in funding if the conflict intensifies.