Russia Massive $1.1 Trillion Rearmament Plan by 2036, Ukraine Warns of Global Threat

Russia plans to spend $1.1 trillion on military rearmament by 2036, according to Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence Chief, Lieutenant General Kyrylo Budanov.

Speaking at a panel during the annual meeting of Ukrainian ambassadors, Budanov said that Russia is preparing for a full-scale future war, mobilizing its politics, economy, and society toward that goal. He confirmed that Russia has already created two new military districts, one in Moscow and the other in Leningrad, with more planned in the near future.

“There is a total mobilization of the Russian Federation to be ready for an upcoming large-scale war,” Budanov stated during the event.

Rising Influence in Africa

The intelligence chief also highlighted Russia’s growing military and political role in Africa, warning that Moscow is working to dismantle the current global security and economic system. Countries like Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso have begun shifting their alliances away from traditional Western partners, especially France, and toward Russia.

According to diplomatic reports, in June 2025, the Kremlin’s new Africa Corps officially replaced the Wagner paramilitary group in Mali, marking a significant shift in Moscow’s foreign strategy. Around the same time, Mali’s junta leader, General Assimi Goita, visited President Vladimir Putin in Moscow to strengthen ties in defense, transport, and economic cooperation.

A photo taken in Bamako, Mali, earlier this year showed demonstrators displaying a large portrait of Putin to celebrate France’s troop withdrawal—reflecting the growing pro-Russia sentiment in parts of the continent.

Cyber and Information Warfare

Budanov also warned of Russia’s intensifying cyber and information warfare campaigns. He accused Moscow of targeting Ukraine and its allies with cyberattacks, and using controlled media and online influencers to interfere with democratic processes.

This month, Russian-linked groups were reported to have used a Slovak cyber firm to publish classified data of Ukrainian soldiers on websites under Russian control. These efforts, according to Budanov, form part of a “psychological warfare” campaign designed to spread fear and confusion.

In April, Poland’s Digital Affairs Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski also sounded the alarm over a spike in Russian cyberattacks, warning that they aimed to sow public panic ahead of elections.

A New Global Order?

Budanov believes that Moscow’s long-term goal is to redefine the world order, placing itself and a few other so-called “great powers” at the center of global control.

“Russia wants a future where it has monopoly over critical resources and the power to dictate the fate of the world in a closed circle,” he said.

Soaring Defense Spending

Supporting these warnings, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) reported in April that Russia’s military budget rose to $149 billion in 2024, a 38% increase from the previous year.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte recently acknowledged that Russia’s arms production has far exceeded expectations. He said Russia is now manufacturing more ammunition in three months than all NATO members produce in an entire year—much of it powered by Chinese technology.

“Russia is reconstituting its forces faster than we thought,” Rutte warned.

With this dramatic shift in defense priorities and international posture, Ukraine’s intelligence leadership sees the Kremlin’s rearmament as a signal that global security could be entering a far more dangerous era.