Despite Western sanctions and the significant resources required to sustain the "special military operation" in Ukraine, President Putin has announced that Russia generated over $15 billion from arms exports in 2025, supplying military hardware to more than 30 countries.

During a meeting of the Commission for Military-Technical Cooperation in Moscow, the Russian leader emphasized that all contracts were honored and that revenues would be utilized to "modernize defense enterprises, expand production capacity, and fund R&D programs."

However, according to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), the figures provided by Putin lack credibility. Actual revenues could be several billion dollars lower, considering that Russian arms exports plummeted between 2021 and 2023, potentially dropping from $14.6 billion to approximately $3 billion (source: Jamestown Foundation). Since then, Moscow has ceased providing data to relevant United Nations agencies, complicating the development of reliable forecasts regarding its arms trade.

Other analyses suggest that Russian defense revenues grew by 23% in 2025; however, this growth reportedly stems from internal military demand, which has "more than compensated for revenues lost due to the decline in arms exports."

Beyond the uncertainty surrounding the raw figures, Rosoboronexport—the Russian state intermediary for arms exports—has announced "exceptional results" in providing military-technical support to African nations, reportedly surpassing Cold War-era levels. The Kremlin has prioritized arms sales to Africa, Asia, and the Middle East—regions not directly bound by Western sanctions.

Putin stated that over 340 joint defense projects with 14 countries are currently underway or in development, and he announced further state support measures for military exports covering the 2026–2028 period. If these reported figures are accurate, Russia’s ability to maintain arms exports at current levels would raise significant questions regarding the long-term efficacy of Western sanctions. Indeed, many countries in Africa and Asia continue to procure Russian weaponry, attracted by lower costs and long-standing political alignments.

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