For a year and a half, Russia spent about $167 billion on the war with Ukraine

During the 18 months of the full invasion of Ukraine, Russia spent approximately $167.3 billion on the war. Of these, only the equipment of the Ukrainian Defense Forces destroyed over $34 billion. The Kremlin spends about $300 million every day on the war with Ukraine. And the Russian budget for January-June this year spent more than it planned to spend for all of 2023.

Russia is spending about $300 million a day on its war with Ukraine. The Russian budget spent more in January-June 2023 than it planned to spend for the entire year 2023. Yet Russia is doubling its military budget and the value of the Russian soldier is declining. Forbes writes about it.

Direct military costs and the cost of lost Russian equipment over the 18 months of the war amount to approximately $167.3 billion. Forbes made these calculations based on data from the General Staff of the Armed Forces. The estimate does not take into account fixed defense costs unrelated to military operations, as well as economic losses of the aggressor state.

Largest expense items:

• support for military operations ($51.3 billion),
• military salaries ($35.1 billion),
• compensation for victims' families ($25.6 billion),
• compensation for the families of the injured ($21 billion),
• cost of destroyed equipment ($34 billion).

After the sharp decline in the ruble, the “value” of a Russian soldier for the budget of the Russian Federation has decreased significantly. If in 2022 the total salary per player was around $200 per day, it is now around $120 per day.

Rockets, missiles, and ammunition

The main article of the Russian Federation's expenditure on the war in Ukraine is ammunition and military support for the army. The total cost of these costs is $51.34 billion.

Last year, Russian artillery used up to 50,000 shells a day, now the consumption rate has decreased significantly: about 10,000 shells a day.

The total cost of the missiles fired on Ukrainian territory is already over $21.1 billion.

Of course, Russia has not prepared for such a long war, and its missile supply and production capabilities do not allow it to meet its own needs in the long run, which forces it to conclude an ammunition supply contract with North Korea.

Salaries of soldiers of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation

After the sharp decline in the ruble, the “value” of a Russian soldier for the budget of the Russian Federation has decreased significantly. If in 2022 the total salary per player was around $200 per day, it is now around $120 per day.

Given that the lion's share of Russian budget revenues come from oil and gas, the devaluation of the Russian currency actually reduces the budget's burden on maintaining the army. At the same time, the real income of a Russian soldier is becoming much smaller. Similarly, most costs expressed in dollar equivalents, which are not related to imported products and prices on international markets, have changed.

The general budget of the Russian Federation for 2023 is planned at 29 trillion rubles. Thus, 33% of the federal budget will be allocated to maintaining the army.