By SCM REPORTER
MOSCOW – President Vladimir Putin of Russia has stuck two fingers up at the West, boasting that Russia raked in a staggering $15 BILLION (£11.3bn) from selling weapons of death last year.
Despite a tightening web of global sanctions designed to cripple his war machine, the Kremlin leader claims the world is still queuing up for Russian kit.
Putin bragged that his arms dealers successfully bypassed “unprecedented” pressure from the UK and US to secure the massive payday in 2025.
The Russian President hailed the “reliability” of his hardware—much of it currently being used to rain down terror on Ukraine—as the secret to his sales success.
Moscow’s war chest was boosted by buyers in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia who have ignored Western pleas to snub Russia.
Addressing defense bosses in Moscow, a defiant Putin said: “Despite the sanctions and the unfair competition from the West, we have maintained our position in the global arms market. Our exports exceeded $15 billion in 2025.”
He added that the “battle-tested” reputation of his tanks and missiles in Ukraine had actually helped sales, with foreign generals eager to buy gear that has seen real action.
While Putin paints a rosy picture of a booming business, the reality on the ground tells a grimmer story for the Russian people.
Russia has officially transitioned to a “war economy,” with nearly 7.5% of its GDP now swallowed up by military spending.
SUPPLY VS SALES: Analysts suggest Putin is facing a “guns vs butter” crisis. While he sells $15bn of kit abroad, his own front lines in Ukraine have been forced to rely on aging T-62 tanks and shells imported from North Korea.
Traditional big spenders like India have started to distance themselves, looking to the West for higher-tech gear. However, countries like Algeria, Iran, and Kazakhstan remain hooked on Moscow’s cut-price killing machines.
The UK Government has vowed to keep “tightening the noose” on the Russian economy, but these latest figures suggest the path to bankrupting Putin’s war remains a long and rocky road.
