But if Russia's spending is calculated in purchasing power parity terms — used in countries like Russia where domestic inputs are significantly cheaper than on the world market — the Kremlin's military expenditure would come to $461.6 billion, the IISS said.
Russia surpassing all of Europe in military expenditures is something new, a result of its "remarkable" defense growth and industrial reform, said Fenella McGerty, an IISS senior fellow for defense economics.
That adds weight to worries that Russia would be capable of attacking the continent once the war against Ukraine is over.
"We are not ready for what is coming our way in four to five years," NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte warned last year. Those cautions have been backed up by defense officials from across Europe.
The latest comes from Danish intelligence, which said this week that Russia could be ready to wage a “large-scale war” in Europe within five years.
Russia’s defense spending skyrocketed since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine almost three years ago and is set to increase by another 14 percent this year to 15.6 trillion rubles.
drandysanter on February 12nd, 2025 at 17:32 UTC »
Misleading headline?
From the article:
The think tank said that Russia’s military expenditure last year was forecast at 13.1 trillion rubles ($145.9 billion), or 6.7 percent of the country’s gross domestic product — over 40 percent higher than the previous year.
Meanwhile, Europe’s combined 2024 defense spending was $457 billion, more than 50 percent higher in nominal terms than it was in 2014, and 11.7 percent higher in real terms than the previous year.
The3DAnimator on February 12nd, 2025 at 17:00 UTC »
Guess we really are a terrible ally
Alarmed_Mistake_9999 on February 12nd, 2025 at 16:53 UTC »
Submission Statement: I would like to add a MAJOR CAVEAT here, that these numbers are only accurate when you incorporate Purchasing Power Parity. I am no economist, so I cannot say whether we should be alarmed by these numbers or not. I would love for some of you to enlighten me what PPP means in practice under this context. However, they do justify all those dire warnings that Russia may be planning to launch a military operation against NATO countries after a victory or favorable settlement in Ukraine.
There is no smoking gun as far as I am aware of any plans in Moscow for a military occupation of NATO territory, but they do show how exposed a divided and over-bureacratic Europe is to a vengeful, paranoid, and militaristic Russia.