War | Report: Global military spending growth has not kept pace with inflation

World total military spending has increased in recent years, but only nominally, says the international strategic research institute IISS in its Military Balance 2023 report released on Wednesday. According to it, the growth measured in money has not meant real growth due to high inflation, but in reality, military spending was reduced in 2022 for the second year in a row – about two percent from the previous year.

According to the IISS, defense spending in Europe also increased in real terms for the eighth year in a row. However, last year’s growth was just under one percent, i.e. significantly less than the 3.5 percent in 2021. According to IISS, the strong drop in Europe was also due to inflation.

Nominally, China has increased its defense budget the most, last year by no less than seven percent, which is the country’s all-time record. The increase has been reflected, among other things, in the increase in the number of domestic J-20A stealth fighters.

of the IISS of a senior researcher Ben Barry’s according to the war in Ukraine is currently in a stalemate. According to him, what can be expected is probably another bloody year of war as both sides try to take the initiative for themselves.

Even so far, both the Ukrainian and Russian forces have suffered significant manpower losses, which Russia has been able to make up for in part with the use of movement support.

“My understanding of the situation in Ukraine is that they still have a fairly significant number of adult men who have not yet been drafted,” Barry said at the launch of the report.

According to Barry, spring makes it easier to attack in Ukraine, which is also under political pressure from both sides.

“The first attacker gains a political and military advantage, but at the same time exposes himself to counterattacks by the opponent’s artillery and armored forces,” Barry stated.

IISS estimates in its report that Russia has already lost about half of its most modern T-72B3 and T-72B3M main battle tanks in the war, as well as many T-80 tanks.