Putin is hiding Russia's military expenditures - this likely accounts for half of the state budget and 10% of GDP.
Modern.az reports that this is stated in the information from the German Federal Intelligence Service (BND).
It is noted that the Kremlin conceals a significant portion of its military expenditures within the general state budget, and the country's actual military spending in recent years may be 66% higher than official figures.
For example, construction projects of the Russian Ministry of Defense, IT projects for the army, and social benefits for military personnel are recorded as special civilian expenditures. This causes military expenditures to appear lower in the budget than their actual costs.
German intelligence estimates Russia's military expenditures for 2025 to be approximately 250 billion euros, which is assessed to be about half of the entire Russian state budget. This constitutes approximately 10% of Russia's gross domestic product (GDP). For comparison, in 2022, this share was 6%. In 2023, this figure rose to 6.7%, and in 2024, it increased to 8.5%.
According to analysts, the funds are not solely directed towards the war in Ukraine. A significant portion of the funds is being spent on expanding military capabilities near NATO's eastern flank.
BND director Martin Yeger had warned about Russia's actions at a public hearing for intelligence chiefs in mid-October: "Russia is concealing its intentions." According to him, Vladimir Putin intends to "test the borders" and Europe must prepare for escalation. In Yeger's opinion, Moscow pursues three objectives: to undermine NATO, destabilize European democracies, and divide societies.
