On Wednesday, Russia’s Ministry of Defense unveiled a comprehensive and far-reaching annual overview of its ongoing war in Ukraine, offering an extensive account that sheds light on the Kremlin’s evolving military objectives, operational strategies, and performance throughout the year. The report, which functioned both as an official review and a piece of political communication, provided observers with subtle clues regarding Russia’s intended trajectory in the conflict as it moves into the next phase. Presiding over the presentation in Moscow was Defense Minister Andrei Belousov, who outlined a series of official statistics during the expanded meeting of the Defense Ministry Board — an event attended by President Vladimir Putin and a large assembly of senior generals and high-ranking officers.

Independent media outlets, including Business Insider, noted that they could not confirm the authenticity or accuracy of the Russian ministry’s claims, which are known to differ markedly from the accounts provided by international institutions and external observers. During the session, President Putin reportedly declared that Russian troops were, in his words, “crushing” Ukrainian forces — a characterization that stood in stark contrast to the reality of a conflict that has endured for nearly four years without a decisive conclusion. The timing of these disclosures is notable, coinciding with Moscow’s attempts to project an image of unwavering strength and to demand substantial concessions from Kyiv while exploring potential peace arrangements in discussions with representatives of the Trump administration.

Belousov’s presentation, attended by both political and military elites, not only summarized military operations but also revealed insights into the Kremlin’s broader strategic ambitions as well as the narratives it constructs to justify and frame its ongoing campaign. The minister introduced several new statistics and initiatives that help illustrate how Russia envisions its war effort unfolding over the coming year.

**1. Russia’s war budget approaching $138 billion**
Belousov disclosed that Russia’s spending on the war is expected to consume approximately 5.1% of the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP) by 2025, drawn from a total defense allocation equal to roughly 7.3% of annual production. Based on official data, Russia’s nominal GDP reached about 201.2 trillion rubles in 2024 and is forecast to increase slightly — around 1% — to approximately 203 trillion rubles, or an estimated $2.52 trillion. Meanwhile, independent Russian media outlets have suggested that the Ministry of Economic Development anticipates a somewhat rosier scenario, projecting GDP closer to $2.7 trillion. A 5.1% expenditure would therefore translate to between $128 billion and $137.7 billion, marking the first occasion that the Kremlin has publicly distinguished its war-related spending from the overall defense budget. For comparison, the United States has planned military expenditures of roughly $901 billion, or 3.4% of its GDP. These figures underline both the scale of Russia’s mobilization and the economic sacrifice implicit in sustaining such a war effort.

**2. Expanding motorcycle and all-terrain operations**
The Russian defense minister announced that approximately 38,000 motorcycles, off-road buggies, and other all-terrain vehicles had been supplied to troops on the front lines in 2025 — ten times the number distributed the previous year. The objective, he explained, is to reach full operational capacity in these mobile units by the end of next year. Such vehicles, especially small unarmored ones, have become central tools on Ukraine’s open battlefields, allowing soldiers to exploit speed and maneuverability in order to evade surveillance drones or artillery strikes. Russian forces have made frequent use of this approach in assaulting fortified Ukrainian positions, while Ukraine itself has adapted the tactic, even forming dedicated motorcycle assault companies.

**3. Recruitment of over 409,000 contract soldiers**
Belousov reported that in 2025, the Russian military enlisted 409,611 new contract-based servicemen. This figure, although slightly lower than the 449,243 enlisted in 2024, surpasses the Kremlin’s annual recruitment goal of 403,000 personnel. Nearly two-thirds of these recruits were men under the age of 40, with more than a third possessing higher education or specialized vocational training. As attrition continues on both sides, the pace of recruitment becomes vital to sustaining the war’s momentum. To fill its ranks, Moscow offers substantial enlistment bonuses and occasionally pardons for criminal offenses — incentives that underscore the state’s determination to maintain manpower levels despite mounting casualties.

**4. FPV drones now pivotal in combat**
Roughly half of Ukrainian casualties inflicted by Russian forces reportedly result from first-person-view or “FPV” drones — small, camera-equipped quadcopters capable of carrying explosive payloads. These inexpensive yet deadly tools have revolutionized modern warfare in Ukraine, embodying a new era of drone-centric combat. Belousov emphasized that Russia’s production of FPV systems has surged, having once surpassed Ukraine’s output before Kyiv’s defense industry later accelerated to match it. Ukrainian officials, for their part, estimate that up to 70% of the war’s total casualties involve FPV drone incidents on both sides.

**5. Formation of a specialized drone corps**
To institutionalize this drone warfare capability, Belousov announced plans to establish a dedicated branch known as the “Unmanned Systems Forces” in the coming year. This new structure will train tens of thousands of personnel to operate, program, and integrate drone technology across units. Russia’s previously established Rubicon unit — formed in August — already serves as an elite drone-focused formation, and the minister indicated that the Kremlin seeks to expand such models into a unified framework for coordinated “joint operations.” Ukraine, notably, has mirrored this modernization by forming its own Unmanned Systems Forces under the command of a veteran from its specialized Magyar Birds unit.

**6. Large-scale drone interceptions over Russian soil**
According to the defense report, Russia intercepted an estimated 27,400 Ukrainian long-range drones throughout the year, with most incursions occurring after summer. Monthly drone appearances reportedly rose from around 1,000 early in the year to 3,700 by May. Belousov claimed a 97% interception success rate, noting that Ukraine’s unmanned attacks — often involving fixed-wing drones — targeted Russian energy infrastructure and defense-industrial sites. He further mentioned experimental Russian projects developing high-speed FPV interceptors, a defensive counterpart to Ukraine’s own innovations aimed at countering swarms of Shahed-type drones.

**7. Delivery of two modernized strategic bombers**
Russia took possession of two upgraded Tu-160M bombers, supersonic aircraft capable of carrying nuclear payloads or advanced stealth missiles. The announcement offered a glimpse into the slow but steady pace of strategic bomber production — a crucial element of Russia’s nuclear triad. Earlier in the year, several older bombers suffered alleged damage during Operation Spiderweb, a Ukrainian drone attack targeting around 41 aircraft. Although Ukrainian sources claimed that additional Tu-160s were hit, these assertions remain unverified by independent intelligence analysis.

**8. Restructuring the armed forces with new divisions and regiments**
Belousov explained that Russia undertook significant organizational reforms, creating five new divisions, thirteen brigades, and thirty regiments in 2025. Analysts estimate that divisions typically comprise between 10,000 and 20,000 troops, while regiments contain around 2,000. Brigades — often operating independently — generally number between 3,500 and 4,500 soldiers. Among the newly formed units is a division within the Aerospace Forces equipped with the S-500 antiaircraft missile system, capable of intercepting targets even in near-space environments. Looking ahead, the Kremlin intends to add four more divisions, fourteen brigades, and thirty-nine additional regiments in the subsequent year. However, not all newly cited formations represent entirely new expansions; some result from reorganizing preexisting structures — for example, merging two marine brigades into a single division.

**9. Drone-based logistics and uncrewed supply chains**
The defense minister noted a dramatic scaling-up of Russia’s logistical drone operations. What began as a limited trial during 2024 has grown into an extensive system capable of delivering some 12,000 tons of cargo across front-line positions this year. Plans call for doubling this capacity by 2026. These developments align with global trends in military robotics as both Ukraine and Russia increasingly employ uncrewed ground vehicles to transport ammunition, provisions, and even medical supplies to locations too hazardous for human soldiers. Certain units on both sides also use aerial drones to deliver light equipment — one Ukrainian commander reportedly sent a small e-bike to a trapped soldier via drone lift, showcasing the adaptability of this rapidly evolving technology.

**10. Targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure**
Finally, Belousov revealed the extent of Russia’s campaign against Ukrainian energy systems. He claimed that precision strikes had disabled over 70% of Ukraine’s thermal power plants and 37% of its hydroelectric facilities, leaving more than half the country’s total energy capacity compromised. He asserted that these strikes demonstrated roughly 60% efficiency, which he argued was several times greater than the comparable accuracy of Ukrainian attacks on Russian soil. Moscow maintains that its operations focus on disrupting Ukraine’s military logistics by denying power to command centers and industrial sites. Nevertheless, international observers and human-rights organizations, including the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, have concluded that such attacks disproportionately affect civilians, causing severe humanitarian consequences — especially during Ukraine’s harsh winter months when reliable electricity is a matter of survival. Ukraine, for its part, continues to conduct drone and missile operations against Russian oil and gas depots, asserting that these are aimed at limiting Moscow’s capacity to sustain wartime production and revenue.

Taken together, the details revealed in Russia’s latest defense review depict a military establishment striving simultaneously to demonstrate technological modernization, industrial resilience, and political resolve. While the report’s figures remain difficult to corroborate independently, they provide a rare glimpse into how Moscow narrates its own war — a story that merges economic might, tactical adaptation, and relentless propaganda in the face of a grinding, protracted conflict that shows no immediate sign of conclusion.

Sourse: https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-annual-review-ukraine-war-putin-highlights-drone-defense-10-2025-12