War costs Russia USD 550B— intelligence

Since the beginning of 2022, the war against Ukraine has cost Russian taxpayers an estimated $550 billion, which is equivalent to 24 annual federal budgets for higher education or 22 budgets for healthcare.

The press service of Ukraine's Foreign Intelligence Service stated this on Telegram, according to Ukrinform.

According to the report, a significant portion of these expenditures is hidden: 59% of the military budget is undisclosed. During the first three quarters of 2025, spending under "open" budget items amounted to RUB 4.816 trillion, while "closed" items totaled RUB 7.038 trillion. On a year-on-year basis, the classified portion of expenditures increased by 39%.

"The Kremlin is shifting the burden of financing the war onto the population through new taxes and rising prices. Under conditions where any anti-war criticism is punished as 'treason', space for public discontent has virtually disappeared. As a result, from 2022 to 2025 prices for Russians rose continuously," the intelligence service noted.

According to the FIS, Gazprom compensated for the loss of European markets at the expense of domestic consumers: the average cost of utility services increased by 43%, and an additional rise of about 14% has already been declared for next year.

Fuel prices increased by 29–35%, and this trend is expected to continue in 2026. Real estate prices in Russia rose by 50% between 2022 and 2025; in 2026, a further increase of 6–7% is expected, while in Moscow specifically prices may rise by up to 20%.

The most sensitive increase has been in food prices: dairy products rose by 62%, and meat by 41%. Forecasts for 2026 predict further price increases of tens of percent.

Against this backdrop, even New Year moods appear subdued: 54% of Russians are irritated by gifts related to self-development and a healthy lifestyle.

As Ukrinform previously reported, total combat losses of Russian forces since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, from February 24, 2022 to December 31, 2025, amount to approximately 1,207,910 personnel, including 1,000 over the past day.

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