Moscow is set to divert billions from classrooms to combat zones, as draft budget documents reveal sweeping cuts to education and healthcare in favour of record defence spending.
The government plans to allocate 17.1 trillion rubles ($204 billion) to defence in 2027, a 26 per cent jump from earlier forecasts, making military outlays larger than healthcare, education and social welfare combined. Analysts warn actual spending could be even higher, with classified allocations often exceeding published figures.
By contrast, civil programmes face sharp reductions. Education and healthcare budgets are each slated to fall by more than five per cent, while social policy funding will drop over six per cent. The federal anti‑cancer programme is among the hardest hit, losing nearly all of its original allocation.
Russia’s deficit is projected to balloon to 5.4 trillion rubles ($64.4 billion) in 2027, with state debt rising above 20 per cent of GDP. To plug the gap, the government plans tax hikes on deposits and property sales, alongside cuts to civil service pay and infrastructure projects.
The budget underscores the Kremlin’s prioritisation of war over welfare as the Ukraine conflict enters its fifth year.