Russia’s military expense last year came in at US$66.3 billion. (AFP pic)
STOCKHOLM: Russia’s military spending fell sharply in 2017 for the first time since 1998 as a slew of Western economic sanctions hit government coffers hard, a closely followed review said on Wednesday.
Despite soaring tensions between Moscow and the West, Russia’s military expense last year came in at US$66.3 billion (RM260.4 billion), 20% lower than in 2016, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said.
The last time Moscow was forced to cut spending was in 1998 at the height of a massive economic crisis.
“Military modernisation remains a priority in Russia, …read more
Source: Free Malaysia Today
