The Kyiv Independent Live in London: 
Russia to raise military spending by 27% in 2027, highest level in war so far, media reports
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Russia is planning to spend 17.1 trillion roubles ($202.58 billion) on its military in 2027, an increase of around 27% over the previously budgeted amount, Reuters reported on Sept. 28.
This will be the most Russia has spent on its armed forces since the beginning of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
According to Reuters, Russian budgeting documents reveal that Moscow plans to spend 50 trillion roubles ($591 billion) over the next three years. Moscow planned to spend 12.1 trillion roubles ($143 billion) on its military in 2026, though the precise amount is classified.
Russia's budget deficit for 2026 also increased from previous estimates, reported Reuters. Financial documents showed that Russia's budget deficit in 2026 grew to 3.2% of its GDP, up from the 1.6% listed in estimates earlier this year.
A draft budget is expected to be submitted by the Russian government by Oct. 1.
Moscow's plan to increase military spending comes after President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Russia has already begun additional troop mobilization. Using foreigners to swell its ranks, Russia will recruit an additional 10,000 troops from North Korea, said Zelensky on Sept 28.
On Sept. 28, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree expanding the nation's armed forces by 15,500 personnel, raising the total military headcount to 2,441,630.
The additional mobilization was expected by experts following the victory of Putin's United Russia party in the nation's parliamentary elections on Sept. 21. The elections were widely viewed as rigged by election observers.
Ukrainian intelligence says Russia's General Staff is prepared to mobilize around 300,000 personnel in 2026 and 2027 each. These forces are in addition to roughly 400,000 people a year that Russia needs to recruit just to replenish its forces, a senior Ukrainian official told the Kyiv Independent.
