Russia Boosts Defense Budget to Counter 'Hybrid Warfare' Threat

Russia plans to increase defense spending by almost 70% next year to fight what it calls a "hybrid war" unleashed by the West in Ukraine. Both sides have been procuring weapons in preparation for a protracted conflict. NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg visited Kyiv, where President Volodymyr Zelensky lobbied for more air defense systems. Ukraine's newly appointed defense minister said they are ready for winter. Russia's defense spending is set to jump by over 68% year-on-year, totaling more than spending allocated for social policy. The focus of economic policy is shifting towards strengthening defense capacity and integrating the Ukrainian regions Moscow claims to have annexed.