The Ukraine War in data: Russia’s military spending leads to a spiraling budget deficit
The war has turned a healthy surplus into a shortfall for the Kremlin — and the trend will continue in 2023.
For all the sanctions imposed against Russia since its invasion of Ukraine, and all the costs of its nearly yearlong war, Russia has kept its financial coffers well stocked — thanks in large part to strong exports of energy and food staples. That’s why this week’s news from the Russian finance ministry made headlines: Russia ran a severe budget deficit in 2022 — its second-worst fiscal performance since the breakup of the Soviet Union three decades ago.
The obvious reason: a spike in several war-related expenditures, as the conflict drags on far longer than the Kremlin had anticipated.
- The Ukraine War in data: Russia announces plans for a 1.5 million-strong army
- Ukraine war mystery: What’s wrong with the Russian military?
- The Ukraine War in data: $4.6 billion in military aid
- Global food crisis: Beyond the Ukraine-Russia grain deal, what else can the world do?
- Casualty of war in Ukraine: The global food supply
How damaging is this for Russia? It’s nothing like the catastrophic collapse that many economists had forecast when the raft of sanctions were imposed last spring. And perhaps unsurprisingly, Russian officials tried to paint a positive picture this week. Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said that “overall, those indicators aren’t bad.” And for his part, Siluanov, the finance minister, said that “despite the geopolitical situation, the restrictions and sanctions, we have fulfilled all our planned goals.”
The problem for Russia is that such expenses are only likely to rise — be it for funds for a larger mobilization, ammunition stocks, or the purchase of more weapons and maintenance of existing weaponry. Already, RBC reports that military spending is expected to jump by nearly 5 trillion rubles ($71 billion) in 2023, with spending on domestic security and law enforcement expected to soar by nearly the same amount. All of which means the deficit may grow as well.
We offer a comprehensive set of data points on the war in Ukraine below. Grid originally published this document March 24, the one-month anniversary of the war. We update it every Thursday to provide a fuller picture of the conflict.
Civilians killed: at least 6,900 (probably thousands more)
Ukrainian soldiers killed: at least 13,000
Russian soldiers killed: between 5,937 and 112,000
Total displaced Ukrainians: approximately 14 million
Internally displaced Ukrainians: approximately 5.9 million
An overview of the violence
Global food markets: Wheat prices down as of Wednesday, after weeks of fluctuation
Recent Grid coverage
- In a new era of global conflict, U.S. troops are deployed in dozens of countries. Where are they — and why? (Jan. 9)
- World in Photos: Vladimir Putin declares a ceasefire — and Ukrainians head for underground shelters (Jan. 6)
- Did smartphones get dozens of Russian soldiers killed? Armies around the world are struggling to keep troops off their phones. (Jan. 4)
- Putin’s New Year’s nightmare: How Ukraine shocked Russia with a deadly barrage of missiles (Jan. 3)
- What’s the most important lesson of the war in Ukraine? Fifteen experts gave us their answers. (Dec. 23)
Learn more: Grid’s 360s on the Ukraine War
- 360: What led to Europe’s worst refugee crisis since World War II
- 360: Casualty of war in Ukraine: The global food supply
- 360: War in Ukraine: How we got here — and what may come next
- 360: Russia’s billionaires: Who they are, what they own — and can they influence Vladimir Putin?
- 360: Why danger still looms at Ukraine’s nuclear power plants
You are now signed up for our newsletter.
- What Ramadan really means to me — and nearly 2 billion MuslimsGrid
- France protests, explained in five words: ‘Life begins when work ends’Grid
- Medical residents nationwide are unionizing. What does that mean for the future of healthcare?Grid
- Ramadan fashion hits the runways. Muslim women say it’s been a long time coming.Grid
- Who is Shou Zi Chew – the TikTok CEO doing all he can to keep his app going in the U.S.?Grid
- The SVB collapse has made deposits more valuable than ever — and banks will have to compete for themGrid
- Ukraine War in Data: 74,500 war crimes cases — and countingGrid
- Can China really play a role in ending the war in Ukraine?Grid
- ‘No Dumb Questions’: What is Section 230?Grid
- Trump steers allies and opponents on the right to a new enemy: Manhattan District Attorney Alvin BraggGrid
- World in Photos: In France, no-confidence vote and fresh protestsGrid
- Bad Takes, Episode 32: The lesson elites should have learned from IraqGrid