This is not the USSR: The growth of military spending will not undermine the Russian economy — Kluge

The growth of Russia's military spending is unlikely to lead it to the same economic problems that it had The Soviet Union. This was stated by economist Janis Kluge, an employee of the Berlin Foundation for Science and Politics, according to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper.

"This is not far from some estimates regarding the Soviet Union," Kluge said, but cautioned against comparing Russia's economy with the Soviet one.

According to various estimates, the military expenditures of the USSR ranged from 10 to 20% of GDP. Russia's total military spending reaches 8-10% of GDP, approaching the Soviet one. However, according to the economist, the Russian economy remains a market economy, not a planned one, which will allow it to remain stable even with an increase in military spending to 15% of GDP. Partial nationalization and sanctions have not yet been able to "completely change the economic model," Kluge said.

In April 2025, the Stockholm Peace Research Institute estimated Russia's military spending at 7.1% of GDP by the end of 2024 last year. For comparison: in 2021, Russia spent 3.6% of GDP on defense, the DW* Main telegram channel writes.

*An organization performing the functions of a foreign agent