Russia Boosts Foreign Propaganda Budget by 54% to Record $1.85 Billion
Russia allocated a record $1.85 billion for foreign propaganda operations in its 2026 federal budget, a 54% increase from the previous year, according to Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service in a response to Liga.net on May 9.
Ukraine's intelligence agency disclosed the figure in response to a Liga.net query, attributing the spending to Moscow's information sector. The agency stated that the funds bankroll the systemic promotion of Russian narratives in European capitals such as Brussels, Vienna, and Luxembourg. According to the intelligence service, the budget sustains Russian state offices abroad, finances networks of "Russian Houses," supports loyal foreign organizations, and launches new information platforms.
Investigators noted that after the European Union adopted its 20th sanctions package, which targeted pro-Russian media, Kremlin operators began rolling out mirror sites stripped of overtly pro-Russian sloganeering. The reworked outlets often feature interviews with European academics who claim they are being pushed out of their posts for calling for peace with Russia.
The "peace" messaging is meant to "create a suffering image" of Russia and frame Ukraine as the party blocking an end to the war, according to the intelligence service. Investigators also cited recycled Kremlin lines portraying Europe as weary of the war and arguing that Moscow cannot be isolated.
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