10 highlights from Russia’s annual review of its war in Ukraine

• Russia on Wednesday released new statistics and data supporting its war in Ukraine.

• These include new figures on war spending and the number of new soldiers recruited.

• Although not necessarily reliable, statistics reveal the Kremlin’s goals and ambitions.

Russia’s Defense Ministry on Wednesday aired a broad annual review of its war in Ukraine, providing clues about its military objectives and performance this year.

Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov presented the official statistics at an enlarged meeting of the Defense Council in Moscow.

Business Insider was unable to independently verify the Defense Department’s claims, which often differ significantly from those of international observers. Russian leader Vladimir Putin told the conference that the Kremlin’s troops were “devastating” Ukraine despite the war going on for nearly four years.

The disclosures also come as Russia seeks to flex its muscles and demand significant concessions from Ukraine while negotiating potential peace terms with the Trump administration.

However, Belousov’s speech provided insight into Russia’s ambitions for the war and its official narrative on how to fight and plan for next year’s war. Some new official figures were also released.

Here are 10 takeaways from Belousov’s year-end review.

1. Russia’s war budget is approximately US$138 billion

Belousov said Russia’s war spending is expected to reach about 5.1% of the country’s GDP by 2025, while the overall defense budget will reach 7.3% of its annual GDP.

The country’s nominal GDP in 2024 is about 201.2 trillion rubles, and is expected to grow 1% this year to about 203 trillion rubles, or $2.52 trillion.

However, Russian independent media reported that the Ministry of Economy expects GDP this year to be approximately US$2.7 trillion.

Therefore, 5.1 percent of the war budget would be between $128 billion and $137.7 billion.

This is the first time Russia has publicly disclosed the amount of money it spends specifically on war. Previously, the Kremlin only released data on total defense spending.

In comparison, the United States plans to spend $901 billion on the military, accounting for about 3.4% of its GDP.

2. Double down on motorcycle and quad bike attacks

Belousov said his ministry will deliver about 38,000 motorcycles, off-road vehicles and all-terrain vehicles to frontline troops in 2025.

“That’s ten times what it was last year,” he said, adding that Russia planned to reach “full strength” on these vehicles next year.

Russian forces are increasingly using motorcycles, quads and other small, unarmored vehicles to attack or approach Ukrainian positions, trying to use their speed and small size to avoid drone strikes.

The Ukrainians also adopted this strategy, with one regiment even forming an official motorcycle attack company in May.

3. 409,000 new contract soldiers were added

Belousov said that Russia hired 409,611 new contract soldiers in 2025, down from 449,243 in 2024.

However, this exceeds the Kremlin’s recruitment target of 403,000 people this year.

“Almost two-thirds of them are young people under 40 years old,” Belousov said of the recruits. “More than a third have some higher education or secondary professional education.”

As Moscow pressures Kiev’s forces with persistent frontal infantry attacks, both Ukraine and Russia are struggling to fill the void.

To keep troops flowing, Russia often lures recruits with hefty signing bonuses or amnesties for crimes committed in the country.

4. FPV drones dominate Russia’s market

Belousov said that about 50% of the casualties in Ukraine caused by Russian attacks came from first-person view drones (FPV drones). These small quadcopters packed with explosives have become a symbol of war.

This summer, Russia said it surpassed Ukraine in FPV drone production, but Kiev officials have since said the country has caught up.

Ukrainian leaders have stated that 70% of casualties during the war were caused by FPV drones.

5. Create a new FPV drone unit

Belousov said Russia plans to form a new drone formation called the “Unmanned Systems Force” next year, which will train “tens of thousands of people.”

Russia has created an official drone force called Rubicon, which was established last August and prioritizes the use of FPV drones in combat and is often described as fielding its most elite pilots.

Now, Moscow appears to be trying to make such warfare a formal pillar of its combat capabilities.

Belousov said the Kremlin needs to transform FPV drone attacks from separate missions carried out by each unit to “comprehensive joint operations” between units.

Ukraine established its own unmanned systems force last year, naming former elite unit commander Magyar Borders as leader.

6. There are 27,000 drones flying over Russian territory

Belousov said about 27,400 Ukrainian long-range drones have been intercepted over Russian territory this year, most of them after the summer.

Belousov said Ukraine initially began sending about 1,000 drones a month to Russia, but by May the monthly number began to reach 3,700.

The defense minister claimed that Russia’s interception rate this year “averaged 97%.”

Ukraine typically uses fixed-wing drones to strike deeper into Russia, targeting alleged oil and gas facilities and military production sites.

It is worth noting that Belousov mentioned that Russia has also been exploring FPV drones that can be used as high-speed interceptors, and Ukraine has been perfecting this technology to counter Moscow’s Shah Depo.

7. Russia receives two modern strategic bombers

Belousov said Russia had received two Tu-160Ms, which are modern supersonic bombers that can deploy nuclear weapons or powerful stealth missiles.

That’s a clue about the productivity of the bombers, which are part of the small fleet that forms a key pillar of Russia’s nuclear triad. Several older Russian bombers were reportedly severely damaged in Operation Spiderweb, a daring Ukrainian drone strike in early June that targeted a fleet of some 41 warplanes.

Ukrainian sources claimed that multiple Tu-160s were also hit, although this had not yet been confirmed by independent open source intelligence agencies at the time.

8. Russia has created 30 new regiments and plans to build 39 more regiments

The Russian military also appears to be revamping its organizational structure.

Belousov said that the Kremlin will form 5 new divisions, 13 new brigades and 30 new regiments in 2025. International think tanks estimate that Russian divisions may consist of 10,000 to 20,000 soldiers, while regiments typically number about 2,000 soldiers and are further divided into battalions.

Brigades usually exist as independent formations, usually with approximately 3,500 to 4,500 soldiers.

The new structure includes a new division called the Aerospace Forces, which has a regiment “equipped with a unique S-500 air defense missile system capable of striking near-space targets,” Belousov said.

Next year, the Kremlin plans to add four more divisions, 14 brigades and 39 new regiments, he added.

Some of these figures include formations that Russia has already transformed, so they do not necessarily indicate that Russia is expanding the scope of its military organizational structure. For example, Belousov said, two marine brigades were converted into one division.

9. Drone air and land delivery

Belousov said that Russia has expanded the use of drones and all-terrain vehicles to transport equipment, expanding from a “one-time operation” in 2024 to delivering 12,000 tons of cargo to the front line this year.

“This number must at least double by 2026,” he said.

Ukraine and Russia have been developing unmanned ground vehicles, or ground drones, that can be operated remotely to deliver supplies to the front lines and even carry out attacks.

This emerging technology is particularly useful for performing dangerous missions that would otherwise have to be performed by human soldiers.

Some military units have also reported using drones to airlift equipment, such as a Ukrainian commander who said his unit used drones to deliver an electric bicycle to stranded soldiers.

10. Russia targets Ukrainian energy grid

Belousov’s speech made it clear that Russia has been carrying out precision attacks on Ukrainian power facilities.

Belousov said that more than 70% of Ukraine’s thermal power plants and 37% of hydroelectric power plants have been shut down.

Belousov said: “The effectiveness of Russian precision strikes is about 60%, which is an order of magnitude higher than the effectiveness of Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory.”

“Ukraine’s energy capacity has been reduced by more than half,” he added.

Attacking energy infrastructure is a war crime if it is found that it was carried out intentionally with the intent to cause harm to civilians. Ukraine’s beleaguered power grid is particularly important as it is crucial to keeping citizens warm during harsh winters.

Belousov said the attack on energy facilities targeted the Ukrainian military and that paralyzing the power grid would cut off power to Kiev’s military.

However, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said last September that Russia’s attack on Ukraine’s power grid had severely affected civilians and had a “disproportionate impact” on vulnerable groups.

Ukraine has also launched attacks on Russian oil and gas facilities but said they were aimed at crippling Moscow’s ability to export energy and sustain war production.

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