The day before, the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Shoigu announced a 1.5-fold increase in the amount of funding for the state defense order.

Despite pouring 20 trillion rubles from the budget into the army over the past 10 years, Russia invaded Ukraine with modernized but old Soviet equipment, and by the end of spring had exhausted its potential.

Now the Russian army is full of Soviet equipment and weapons, sometimes of the era of the Second World War, and its military-industrial complex is not production lines, but repair bases, noted military expert Oleksandr Kovalenko, commenting on the latest statements of Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu about an increase in 1, 5 times the volume of financing of the Russian state defense order in 2023.

“In a country in which it is impossible to produce new, modern weapons and equipment, especially now, 1.5 times more is allocated for state defense orders than in previous years. Are they having fun like the last time?” – noted the expert.

At the same time, Kovalenko reminded that a ban on the disclosure of any information about the army, related to complaints about poor service conditions, lack of training or lack of material and technical support, came into force in Russia.

“Actually, this is what the Russian army will be doing in the near future. Not forging the weapons of victory, but sawing, sawing and sawing again, while there is still an opportunity, which cannot but please,” added the observer.

Russia’s total combat losses in Ukraine

As previously reported, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, since the beginning of the large-scale invasion, Russia’s total combat losses have already roughly amounted to 89,440 personnel.

The Russian Federation also lost in Ukraine: tanks – 2,915, armored fighting vehicles – 5,877, artillery systems – 1,904, anti-aircraft missiles – 395, air defense equipment – ​​210, airplanes – 280, helicopters – 261.