Ukraine says Russia to raise propaganda budget by 54 percent in 2026

Next year, Russia plans to increase funding for state propaganda by 54 percent, even as it intends to cut military spending, Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Minister Andriy Sybiha reported.

“This clearly shows the priorities of the aggressor state: unable to win on the battlefield, they are betting heavily on disinformation,” Sybiha said.

The minister said that this is how the Kremlin is further intensifying its information war against Ukraine. 

“In today’s world, words are also weapons, especially in diplomacy,” he said.

According to the Ukrainian media Slovo i Dilo, Russia’s draft state budget for next year allocates about $1.6 billion to state media.

“Typically, budget drafts only show preliminary figures, which can increase by the end of the year,” the report said.

The Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Ministry emphasized that boosting information resilience is key to defending the country’s interests and pushing back against Russian information warfare.