Analysts think that maintaining a high levels of defense spending in the coming years will make it challenging for the Russian government to allocate funds for social programs and would also hamper efforts to address the country’s demographic crisis. The report highlights that the Russian public’s growing demand for more social investment and less defense spending could undermine domestic support for the regime and jeopardize the Kremlin’s ability to sustain its war against Ukraine. Moreover, the increase in military spending does not necessarily translate into improved military capabilities, …