The front lines in Ukraine have been relatively stagnant for a while. Recently, Ukrainians have managed to reclaim smaller villages near the city of Bakhmut, but progress is slow.
According to the British intelligence service, Russia is preparing for a more protracted conflict than initially anticipated.
The British Ministry of Defence has reported this based on leaked documents from the Russian Finance Ministry.
Russia is expected to significantly increase its military budget next year. According to British estimates, the defense budget will rise to a staggering 10.8 trillion rubles (approximately $113 billion ) in 2024.
This marks a 68% increase compared to this year and accounts for six percent of Russia's total Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
These revelations about increased funding for the military come after Sergei Shoigu, the head of Russia's Ministry of Defence, recently stated that the conflict could continue until 2025.
Estimates suggest that the war in Ukraine is costing Russia between $500 million and $1 billion per day.
