Russian Federation Military Spending
Military expenditure as % of GDP MS.MIL.XPND.GD.ZS
Russian Federation's military spending was 7.25% in 2025, ranked 5th globally. This represents a 2.8% increase from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1992–2025.
Overview
Russian Federation's military spending stood at 7.25% in 2025, a rise of +0.20% from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 7.25% by 2025. Russian Federation ranked 5th globally.
Russia's military spending has undergone significant fluctuations over the past three decades, with a notable increase in recent years. The country's military expenditure peaked at 7.25% of GDP in 2025, a value that ranks fifth globally. This represents a substantial rise from the trough of 2.73% in 1998, which was the lowest point in Russia's military spending during the post-Soviet era. Comparing to its peers, Russia's military spending lags behind that of Israel, which has the highest ranking at 8.00%. Conversely, Qatar's military spending exceeds Russia's at 7.70%. The recent increase in military spending is likely driven by Russia's ongoing involvement in regional conflicts, such as the Ukraine war. If tensions with Western nations continue to escalate, Russia may further increase its military spending, potentially leading to a sustained period of elevated military expenditure.
Data & projection
| Year | Military Spending | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027* trend | 8.78% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 8.01% | - | - |
| 2025* trend | 7.25% | - | - |
| 2025 | 7.25% | +0.20% | #5 |
| 2024 | 7.05% | +1.65% | #143 |
| 2023 | 5.40% | +0.80% | #144 |
| 2022 | 4.61% | +1.03% | #145 |
| 2021 | 3.58% | −0.57% | #139 |
| 2020 | 4.14% | +0.28% | #141 |
| 2019 | 3.86% | +0.14% | #140 |
| 2018 | 3.72% | −0.53% | #143 |
| 2017 | 4.25% | −1.18% | #143 |
| 2016 | 5.43% | +0.55% | #147 |
| 2015 | 4.87% | +0.76% | #142 |
| 2014 | 4.11% | +0.26% | #141 |
| 2013 | 3.85% | +0.16% | #136 |
| 2012 | 3.69% | +0.26% | #135 |
| 2011 | 3.43% | −0.15% | #128 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Russian Federation matched the Fiscal Dominance Trap pattern in 2022. Historically, 72% of countries showing this pattern (278 out of 386) saw military spending improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Russian Federation's military spending was 7.25% in 2025. Ranked 5th globally. This represents a 2.8% increase from the previous year.
Russian Federation's military spending peaked at 7.25% in 2025.
The lowest military spending in Russian Federation was 2.73% in 1998.
Russian Federation ranks 5th globally in military spending as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is MS.MIL.XPND.GD.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Russian Federation's military spending is projected to reach 7.25% by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The military spending of Russian Federation in 2025 was 7.25%. This ranks 5th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_russian-federation_military-spending,
title = {Russian Federation Military Spending},
url = {https://historysaid.com/russian-federation/military-spending/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}