Three years of reporting, funded by our readers — become a member now and help us prepare for 2025.
Goal: 1,000 new members for our birthday. Gift a membership to your friend and help us prepare for what 2025 might bring.
Become a member Gift membership
Skip to content
President Volodymyr Zelensky unveils Ukraine's victory plan to the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's Parliament on Oct. 16, 2024 in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Andrii Nesterenko/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)
This audio is created with AI assistance

Ukraine's parliament has approved the country's state budget for 2025, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on Nov. 19.

"All taxes of citizens and businesses next year will be directed to the defense and security of our country," he said in a post on Telegram.

"In conditions of limited resources, this budget clearly defines priorities. Defense, security, support of people, development and restoration of the country. These are all things that make us stronger and lead to victory."

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine approved the draft state budget for 2025 on Sept. 13. The state expects to get Hr 2 trillion ($48.2 billion) in revenues, while expenditures are planned at Hr 3.6 trillion ($86.8 billion).

The budget for 2025 envisages spending Hr 2.2 trillion ($53 billion) on Ukraine's defense, which is 26.3% of the country's projected gross domestic product (GDP).

On Nov. 12, Strategic Industries Minister Herman Smetanin said the budget envisages Hr 55 billion ($1.3 billion) for weapons production.

Ukraine began actively developing its defense production after Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Some Hr 54.55 billion ($1.3 billion) will be directly allocated for the development and implementation of new technologies, and the expansion of defense production capacity, according to Smetanin.

The minister added that the 2025 figure is almost Hr 3.5 billion ($84.4 million) more than in 2024.

Ukraine used ATACMS on Russian territory for first time, according to Moscow, media
If confirmed, this would mark the first instance of Ukraine using U.S.-made long-range missiles on Russian territory since Washington eased the restrictions last week.
Three years of reporting, funded by our readers.
Millions read the Kyiv Independent, but only one in 10,000 readers makes a financial contribution. Thanks to our community we've been able to keep our reporting free and accessible to everyone. For our third birthday, we're looking for 1,000 new members to help fund our mission and to help us prepare for what 2025 might bring.
Three years. Millions of readers. All thanks to 12,000 supporters.
It’s thanks to readers like you that we can celebrate another birthday this November. We’re looking for another 1,000 members to help fund our mission, keep our journalism accessible for all, and prepare for whatever 2025 might bring. Consider gifting a membership today or help us spread the word.
Help us get 1,000 new members!
Become a member Gift membership
visa masterCard americanExpress

News Feed

2:03 PM

Russia's FSB reports detentions over Crimea car bombing.

Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) on Nov. 19 announced the detention of two residents of Russian-occupied Crimea in connection with a car bombing in Sevastopol on Nov. 13 that killed Russian Navy officer Valery Trankovsky.
1:12 PM

Long-range strikes can help push Russia toward peace, US official says.

"The weapons President Biden authorized Ukraine to use will give it more capabilities to defend itself and, hopefully, make the Russian Federation understand that using force to seize Ukrainian territory will not succeed," U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Brian A. Nichols said in an interview.
10:41 AM

Putin approves Russia's updated nuclear doctrine.

The revised doctrine outlines scenarios that could justify a nuclear strike. It implies that this could include "aggression against the Russian Federation and its allies by a non-nuclear state with the support of a nuclear state" and large-scale non-nuclear attacks, such as those carried out with drones.
MORE NEWS

Editors' Picks

Enter your email to subscribe
Please, enter correct email address
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required

Subscribe

* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Explaining Ukraine with Kate Tsurkan
* indicates required
Successfuly subscribed
Thank you for signing up for this newsletter. We’ve sent you a confirmation email.