End the war :war with ukraine raises protests in Russia

Russia’s plan to hike defense spending next year has divided opinion in Moscow, with some objecting to devoting more money to the Ukraine conflict while many face a squeeze in living standards.

Russia is to spend more than 40 percent of its total budget on defence and security next year, more than the money allocated for social welfare and education combined.

“It is an outrage,” 80-year-old pensioner Irina told AFP in Moscow. “We need to end this war, and spending the budget on war is a crime.”

The government promised major investment in social support ahead of Monday’s budget announcement, promising to make it a top priority.

But the $145-billion draft defense budget suggests military spending has crowded out other sectors.

Planned spending on “national defence” is more than twice that allocated to areas Moscow labels as “social policy.”