PM Shmyhal: Ukraine has spent over $27 billion on defense this year
Ukraine has spent over Hr 1 trillion ($27.4 billion) on defense so far this year, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on Oct. 20.
Speaking at a government meeting, Shmyhal said that the figure accounts for defense spending from the state budget in the first nine months of 2023.
Military salaries account for Hr 682 billion ($18.7 billion), Shmyhal said, while Hr 349 billion ($9.5 billion) was spent on buying equipment, weapons, ammunition, and other supplies for the armed forces.
In total, Ukraine has so far spent Hr 2.119 trillion ($58 billion) from the state budget this year, with social programs accounting for the second-highest amount of expenditures, at Hr 386 billion ($10.6 billion).
"The full and timely financing of social payments," which includes paying the salaries of public-sector workers like teachers and doctors, "would not have been possible without the support of our international partners," Shmyhal said.
Another Hr 112 billion ($3 billion) has been earmarked for regional budgets and 102 billion ($2.8 billion) has been allocated to healthcare spending.
Ukraine’s parliament approved lawmakers’ proposals for the country’s 2024 state budget on Oct. 19, adopting the draft law in the first reading.
The government now must process all the amendments and hand the revised document to the parliament for the final vote by Nov. 20.
Nate Ostiller
