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Russian President Vladimir Putin approved budget plans, raising 2025 military spending to record levels as Moscow seeks to prevail in the war in Ukraine.
Around 32.5% of the budget posted on a government website Sunday has been allocated for national defense, amounting to 13.5 trillion rubles (over $145 billion), up from a reported 28.3% this year.
Lawmakers in both houses of the Russian parliament, the State Duma and Federation Council, had already approved the plans in the past 10 days.
Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine since February 2022 is Europe’s biggest conflict since World War II and has drained the resources of both sides. Kyiv has been getting billions of dollars in help from its Western allies, but Russia's forces are bigger and better equipped, and in recent months the Russian army has gradually been pushing Ukrainian troops backward in eastern areas.
New European Council President Antonio Costa and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas arrived in Kyiv on Sunday, marking their first day in office with a strong message of support for Ukraine. Their visit comes as doubts are deepening over what Kyiv can expect from a new U.S. administration led by Donald Trump.
“From day one of the war, the EU has stood by the side of Ukraine,” Costa posted on X, together with a photo of himself, Kallas and EU enlargement chief Marta Kos. “From day one of our mandate, we are reaffirming our unwavering support to the Ukrainian people.”
Speaking at a news conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Costa reiterated the EU's recent commitment to help Ukraine continue through the war, including €4.2 billion ($4.4 billion) to support Ukraine’s budget and €1.5 billion ($1.6 billion) of assistance every month from the proceeds of frozen Russian assets.
Asked whether the EU would step up funding if Trump withdrew support, Costa said the block would “stand for Ukraine as long as necessary.”
Zelenskyy said that any future ceasefire negotiations with Russia would need to include representatives from the EU and NATO, because Ukraine seem its future security in both alliances. However, he said he failed to see what any such negotiations would focus on, adding that Ukraine would “never legally recognize any occupation of our lands by the Russian Federation.”
He urged the outgoing Biden administration to use the remaining two months in office to exert influence “over those few European skeptics about our future. I see nothing, I personally see no risks, and most NATO countries see no risks from the recommendation regarding the positive future of Ukraine’s membership in NATO.”
Zelenskyy said Friday that an offer of NATO membership to territory under Kyiv’s control would end “the hot stage of the war.”
On the ground in Ukraine, three people died in the southern city of Kherson when a Russian drone struck a minibus on Sunday morning, regional Gov. Oleksandr Prokudin said. Seven others were wounded in the attack.
Meanwhile, the number of wounded in Saturday's missile strike in Dnipro in central Ukraine rose to 24, with seven in serious condition, Dnipropetrovsk Gov. Serhiy Lysak said. Four people were killed in the attack.
Moscow sent 78 drones into Ukraine overnight into Sunday, Ukrainian officials said. According to Ukraine’s air force, 32 drones were destroyed and a further 45 drones were lost, likely having been electronically jammed.
In Russia, a child was killed in a Ukrainian drone attack in the Bryansk region bordering Ukraine, according to regional Gov. Alexander Bogomaz.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said that 29 Ukrainian drones were shot down overnight into Sunday in four regions of western Russia: 20 over the Bryansk region, seven over the Kaluga region, and one each over the Smolensk and Kursk regions.
© Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
57 Comments
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TaiwanIsNotChina
As well he shouldn't. There should be no reward for animal behavior.
Mr Kipling
Odd that all but one were either destroyed or lost yet the power went off in half the country.
JJE
Moscow has to prepare for a possible confrontation with NATO, so if you turn around the map, this is called prudent behaviour.
Zelensky is delusional as ever. Ukraine, the rump-buffer state left over, will never ever join NATO.
Reality check: the former Autonomous Republic of Crimea was never his. And never ever will be.
Underworld
Does this look like someone looking for peace?
I don't think so.
Trump is going to have to be tough on Putin.
TaiwanIsNotChina
The misnomered Republic of Crimea was absolutely under Kyiv's control from 1995 to 2014. It had less independence in 2014 than Taiwan.
Underworld
JJE
I thought they were fighting NATO already? I guess not.
If Putin wants peace, why is he ramping up his military?
As long as Ukraine has security guarantees from the US, I believe a peace deal can be established.
But this type of spending looks like Putin does not want peace. Trump needs to stand firm.
You never know...
Underworld
Mr Kipling
Moscow sent 78 drones into Ukraine overnight into Sunday, Ukrainian officials said. According to Ukraine’s air force, 32 drones were destroyed and a further 45 drones were lost, likely having been electronically jammed.
It's called electronic warfare. Looks like Ukraine have got better at it with respect to Shahid drones.
Some dude
Huge country with almost infinite number of men to send as cannon fodder needs to spend one third of entire budget to try and crush, for no morally acceptable reason, neighbour which is almost 1/30 of its size.
And yet they insist that they can take NATO on as well.
Bet the rest of the world is trembling in their boots.
Some dude
Trump is going to have to be tough on Putin.
File under "would be nice but is about as likely as Putin winning a popularity contest in Ukraine".
asdfgtr
Misleading title: It's not defense spending.
As Russia's economy collapses, Putin is desperately wasting resources to fund his failing invasion of Ukraine.
Blacklabel
isn’t Russia “broke”?
JJE
Interesting photo montage. Photos 4 and 5 feature the PKM - solid, reliable, accurate (and that's a 74-model lying next door). 10 and 12 feature the FN MAG and Minimi (notice the look on the guy in 10 - face says he needs a PKM). In 11: belts for the PKM in the most common brass in that zone. Main and 9 have the can opener (good move).
The other photos are just as odd. A eurocrat no one has heard of and someone pointing at a notepad.
asdfgtr
The value of the Russian ruble is cratering.
Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine the ruble has plummeted from 70 ruble per dollar to approx. 107 rubles per U.S. dollar and is showing signs of further weakness, largely due to the continued pressures from sanctions, a shrinking trade surplus, and their failing invasion. Analysts predict that the ruble will to struggle due to these ongoing issues, including low investor confidence and inevitable economic slowdown.
dobre vam zajebava
one quick question
did heroi won over Russia already?or when they will?
any nostradamus here...
JJE
New EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, mentioned in the article paragraphs 4 and 5, is a very stark individual, logistically speaking. She is definitely on the move.
Fos
CPowell
That’s right. All those American Wall Street bankers, hoping their government would keep foraging billions and billions of dollars in weapons orders, while hundreds of thousands Ukrainian soldiers are dying. A reminder that the top 5 arms manufacturers in the world are all Americans and US financial markets are on all time high. Lifestyles by the pool as opposed to death on the battlefield. It’s a shame it ain’t a Hollywood movie but for sure it’s made in America
Fighto!
Madness. 1/3rd of the fascist Russian government budget used on war. Think about that.
Hopefully this impoverishes the average, working Russians even further - and the ruble continues its freefall.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Nothing unethical about supporting allies, including those engaged in a war of self defense.
And the next 5 are all Chinese
1% of gdp isn't going to shoot the stock market up that much
All the more reason why Ukraine has to take the fight to the poolside russians.
Burgerland
"As Russia's economy collapses, Putin is desperately wasting resources..."
If our JT expert friends had to pay out a dollar every time they said Russian economy is collapsing, they would be broke by now.
Burgerland
I thought they were fighting NATO already? I guess not."
No, he has no capacity to fight NATO JT experts told us. His rabble convict army with shovels and museum tanks is no threat to NATO. Dont worry.
If Putin wants peace, why is he ramping up his military?"
Nothing to worry about , those flying shovels are no threat. Gamechangers will take them out.
Underworld
Fos
There should be no reward for animal behavior.
Putin could deflate those Wall Street bankers and save Ukraine lives (and Russian lives) by withdrawing his troops from this unnecessary war at any time.
Underworld
Burgerland
"As Russia's economy collapses, Putin is desperately wasting resources..."
Well, no. Russian economy is doing terribly!
The Ruble has plummeted to 113 = 1 USD. They stopped trading in the Ruble to stop the fall.
Official inflation figures = 8.5% in October, but unofficially much higher.
The interest rate benchmark is at a whopping 21%!
Anybody who says the Russian economy is OK is lying.
dobre vam zajebava
wait Russia is collapsing over 1000 days already and Ukraine is prevailing-at least according to official narratives published at these pages and according to local russian experts.
quick question
how possible that collapsing country can invest into weapons?any logic or common sense there?
Underworld
dobre vam zajebava
Easy. They plunder the Russian National Wealth Fund.
stormcrow
To let Putin win this thing would be inviting worse things to come. Nip this little monster in the bud by helping Ukraine as much as possible.
dobre vam zajebava
stormcrow
Ukraine doing very well.economy,military all is OK also they are winning at all fronts and prevailing over 1000 days.
so dont need worry about any extra help as Russia is collapsing.
you should not worry about help to Ukraine at all.
Underworld
dobre vam zajebava
Of course, the Ukraine economy is doing badly because they are defending themselves from an illegal, unnecessary invasion from Russia.
Ukraine didn't choose to be invaded.
Russia chose to wage this unnecessary this war.
dobre vam zajebava
I still see no UA victory day announced so can mark in my calendar.
Fos
Russia has done so time and time again. Read history books, not just the American military dispatches or Social Media narrative.
Check the trail of George W. Bush and Condoleezza Rice, the real facts about the democratic elected President Yanukovych's and the Euomaidan protests supported by US secret agents.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0epyHOz-Pbs
We keep repeating the same things all over again.
Economic investments by American companies for centuries have always led to wars all over the globe.
Putin today is just a pawn of Washington to achieve their results. This time they did not work out the consequences though. Asia does not need the warmongering which is the heart and soul of American spirit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wIOqHSsV9c
TaiwanIsNotChina
Do tell about this one. Were they on a top secret mission to handout flyers?
Someone sure does.
Didn't lead to World Wars 1 or 2 or 3.
Fascinating. So the US could pull russian forces out at any time?
Asia doesn't need to be left at the whim of the two bullies there.
Underworld
Fos
*Putin could deflate those Wall Street bankers and save Ukraine lives**
So why do you post a clip of President Viktor Yuschenko (not Yanukovych) from 2008, years before the Euomaidan protests. (Which were not supported US secret agents.)
How was George Bush involved in Ukraine in 2013/2014????
So the west forced Putin to invade Ukraine? Are you actually saying that?!!
I will not that this video doesn't include Ukraine in the list of countries where America was involved in a coup. So that doesn't really help your argument.
HopeSpringsEternal
Putin war machine is rolling full steam ahead while Ukraine is doing just the opposite, as they are unable to recruit, train and equip in sufficient numbers.
Ukraine's in a doom loop, Trump's not interested in backing proxy wars against nuclear powers, especially over a territorial matter where the vast majority in the contested former Ukrainian territories speak Russian and wish to be Russian Citizens = COMMON SENSE.
Burgerland
To let Putin win this thing would be inviting worse things to come."
But your team experts tell everyone that Russian army is depleted and Russian economy is collapsing. Russia is in no position to attack anyone else, least of all a NATO member. So what worse things are we talking about?
HopeSpringsEternal
Trump has FAR bigger fish to fry than this Russia/Ukraine border issue, especially keeping Iran from becoming a nuclear military power and strategies to better contain, deter and mitigate any potential China aggression.
Hercolobus
No surprise when the whole of NATO and other countries are all against Russia.
HopeSpringsEternal
Also important to keep in mind Russia's balance sheet is excellent, as all resources/commodities priced in dollars have skyrocketed in last few years.
Furthermore, massive political re-alignment taking place across Europe, North America and Asia. For example, Trump's Catholic support increased double digits in 2024 vs. 2020, why? Largely Ukraine, that's majority Catholic, voters want the war stopped, ditto Europe. Nobody in Asia believes Ukraine has a military path.
Underworld
Burgerland
To let Putin win this thing would be inviting worse things to come."
Why do you feel the need to use disingenuous straw men to argue your case.
The Russian economy is doing badly, but Putin can continue to plunder it's savings to fight this war. This means that he has ample capability to warmonger.
However, life for his people is looking increasingly bleak, with high inflation and interest rates.
This doesn't mean that the economy is collapsing. But it does mean that the people in Russia are getting more and more affected. And that may collapse Russian public support for this war, which will make it more difficult for Putin to wage the war in the future.
If Putin is left off the hook and a peace settlement is made without security guarantees, then Putin can get his economy back on track and invade in three years time with impunity.
Try to take a more nuanced take on the situation, instead of a simplistic black and white approach.
Underworld
HopeSpringsEternal
It's not a border issue. Russia wants to take control of all of Ukraine. In any case, he can surely take care of more than one issue at once.
Considering he caused that crisis by pulling out of the previous agreement that was containing Irans nuclear ambitions, do you think he is interested in this?
Supporting Ukraine will go a long way in deterring and mitigating any potential China aggression.
HopeSpringsEternal
Supporting Ukraine in this unwinnable border dispute enables both Iran and China (and NK!), while destroying US readiness. Not to mention the real risk of escalation with the world's largest nuclear power.
Above, the Trump world view, that the voters endorsed!
HopeSpringsEternal
Growing axis of China Russia Iran and NK purely function of Ukraine war. US deterrence across globe collapsing due to Biden's Ukraine NATO eastward expansion folly his globalists orchestrated to pursue their Putin revenge.
Underworld
HopeSpringsEternal
It's not a border dispute. Nobody disputes the borders.
Absolutely not. It increases US readiness and it does not enable China.
It discourages China's ambitions on Taiwan, because if the US stands up for Ukraine, it will stand up for Taiwan. The opposite is also true. If the US abandons Ukraine, China will think that the US will abandon Taiwan and hence be more likely to attack.
I doubt that the above is the Trump world view.
Ken
Nope, he had a lot of late night friendly private calls with Musk
ok1517
Putain expanding his marauding hordes and their equipment!
This is definitely not what "looking for peace" looks like!
He is getting ready to commit even more war crimes, more atrocities, more genocide attempts!
If Ukraine falls (which I highly doubt) he would continue, spreading further over northern and western Europe!
The old Russian doctrine is still valid for him: within 24 hours to the Rhine River and then beyond that!
The man needs to be shown some serious red lines, enough is enough!
And just imagine: ,ore than 30% of the budget ..... while most his own people haven't even seen a "normal toilet", while the infrastructure (not only but also countryside) is neglected, and so on.
Burgerland
No strawman, just quoting what pro NATO JT experts have said numerous times on here - that Russian military is depleted and Russian economy collapsing. You can't deny that this was stated on here a hundred times.
HopeSpringsEternal
Gallop has done much objective market research in Crimea, far more than 90% in every study prefer to remain Russian citizens. These contested areas now under Russian control are essentially no different.
It's really a civil war that started in 2014, Kiev started with their agenda of human rights violations against their Russia speaking citizens. The EU said so officially many times regarding this anti-democratic behavior in Kiev.
To the outsider, it's a border dispute, but make no mistake vast % of Russian speaking people in former Ukraine want to be Russian citizens now due to this civil war.
HopeSpringsEternal
Putin considers this matter a special operation, because he is rescuing 'persecuted people'. He's got plenty of evidence and good lawyers at the UN. This is why he has so much global support across global south etc.
Putin's legal precedent is the former Yugoslavia, where US and NATO took action to protect minority groups.
Naturally, few in west understand above reality due to media gas-lighting and distortions. Above why Russia is so committed, and Putin has so much public support, including massive military spending to achieve objective of securing these persecuted minorities in now former Ukraine, as he's been very successful.
Burgerland
ROFL. That's what it is - Elon financing Putin. Glad we have the left troopers keeping an eye on him.
HopeSpringsEternal
Question people should ask is just why Kiev decided to go after their ethnic minority Russia population so aggressively starting in 2014?
Any normal Russian speaking Ukrainian would naturally welcome Putin's role in protecting them. It all just massively escalated in 2021 when Biden took office and began turning Ukraine into a NATO proxy partner with massive military support. Hence the full-blown special operation, vs. a civil war and territorial conflict.
Russians are HAPPY to spend whatever it takes to win this war against their now newly minted millions and millions of citizens.
Underworld
HopeSpringsEternal
It has nothing to do with human rights violations against their Russia speaking citizens. Russia started the civil war by sending in troops to the Donbas in 2014 and fomenting dissent.
No, they don't. In any case, is Russia helping these Russian speaking people by pounding their cities to rubble?
rainyday
Not broke, just poor.
Burgerland
He urged the outgoing Biden administration to use the remaining two months in office to exert influence “over those few European skeptics about our future. I see nothing, I personally see no risks, and most NATO countries see no risks from the recommendation regarding the positive future of Ukraine’s membership in NATO.”
Zelensky might "see no risks " but more cool headed NATO country heads of state and many more around the world recognize this would indeed be a huge risk / provocation. The defeated Biden admin might be trying its best to escalate the war and make things difficult for Trump but Donald will cool things down and bring both sides to the negotiation table to "make the deal ".
Underworld
HopeSpringsEternal
They didn't.
Putin has never protected Russian speaking Ukrainians. He started the civil war and then he invaded and smashed their cities to dust.
That's not what happened. It was under Trump that they started supporting the Ukrainian military and that was to counter Russia's aggression. Ukraine realized it needed to defend itself after Russia annexed Crimea.
So Trump caused the war?
I don't think so. Putin thought it would take a week at most. Now he is ruining his own economy for an unnecessary war.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Would like to see Trump bring Putin to the negotiating table as he is the one missing.
Underworld
HopeSpringsEternal
The civil war had essentially stopped. And Putin comes in and turns cities into dust. Is that helping. The people of the Donbas don't want that help.
Did the US and NATO annex those lands?
No.
So, no precedent.
Burgerland
It has nothing to do with human rights violations against their Russia speaking citizens."
False.
HopeSpringsEternal
Ukraine war should have never happened, Trump kept the peace and sought to broker a peace to bring their civil war to an end, but Biden Admin sought escalation.
Biden 2021 turned Ukraine into a NATO proxy partner, armed them to the hilt, the rest is history, and the outcome is Exactly what many of us expected.
Ukraine would lose LOTS of territory, experience massive destruction of its infrastructure and economy and a population collapse as many millions fled to other countries including Russia.
Naturally, far larger Russia Army would grind down Ukraine, as the UA could never win a war of attrition, that this latest budget suggests they will continue so long as any talk of NATO membership remains.
Only real question is how failed a state will Ukraine be?
Burgerland
Would like to see Trump bring Putin to the negotiating table as he is the one missing."
Don't worry Donald will deliver , peace will be negotiated. Yes, it is a big contrast to the current Biden admin warmongers occupying WH for another few weeks and yes many pro war experts" will be against it as they prefer to advocate for prolonging the conflict... but it will happen.