 Russia doubles its 2023 defense spending. Russia has doubled its 2023 defense spending target to more than $100 billion, a third of all public expenditure. This is reported by Reuters citing a document of the Russian government. They show that in the first half of 2023 alone, Russia spent 12% or 600 billion rubles more on its defense than the 4.98 trillion rubles or US$54 billion it had originally targeted for 2023. This spending in the first six months of 2023 amounted to 5.59 trillion rubles, 37.3% of a total 14.97 trillion rubles spent in the period. Russia's budget plan envisages 17.1% of total funds spent on national defense. It is noted that increased defense spending could increase Russia's budget deficit. As reported, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Russia's military budget this year is about 6.6 trillion rubles or about US$85.8 billion, but these costs may be higher. Between 2011 and 2022, Russia spent a minimum of 13.9% and a maximum of 23% of its budget on defense. The country has already spent 57.4% of its new annual defense budget, the document showed. Financing of the military and security services has never before reached such a large share of the federal budget. The government is no longer trying to save some of the oil and gas revenues in the National Welfare Fund. The pressure of sanctions creates great difficulties for the Russian state machine and it will shift war costs to the population and businesses.