The Kremlin has recently shifted its rhetoric regarding military expenditures, publicly announcing intentions to cut defense spending.
That is according to the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine (FISU), Ukrinform reports.
It is noted that lately, Russia has been actively promoting a new narrative about reducing defense spending. During his visit to Kyrgyzstan, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov claimed that “peace-loving” Russia, unlike NATO, intends to reduce defense spending — echoing a message delivered just a day earlier by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
This abrupt shift in economic messaging comes in the wake of statements by Russia’s Minister of Economic Development Maksim Reshetnikov and Central Bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina who acknowledged that the Russian economy is “on the verge of recession”, and revealed a 13% cut in social spending.
According to Ukrainian intelligence, Russia’s military spending this year exceeds $140 billion, a figure that surpasses total state allocations for education, healthcare, and social policy combined.
Meanwhile, Western sanctions have sharply impacted Russia’s revenue, with oil and gas income down 33% compared to the same period last year.
Russia is also facing a surge in wage arrears: in January 2025, unpaid wages totaled nearly $4.8 million, as of June 1, the figure exceeded $21 million
Utility tariffs are also rising dramatically — by nearly 13% this year, and another 7% increase (totaling 20%) is planned for May 2026.
According to the FISU, Moscow is attempting to use this latest propaganda tactic to soften public perception of an impending economic collapse.
As previously reported by Ukrinform, top Russian state-linked businesses, including figures close to Vladimir Putin, have become increasingly vocal about financial losses caused by tight monetary policy.
Source: Ukrainian intelligence: Russia pushing narrative of defense budget cuts amid economic decline
