Black year for Putin: 5% of US defense budget destroyed 50% of Russia’s military

The fact that Vladimir Putin’s war unleashed in Ukraine is not going as the Kremlin leader expected is no secret to almost anyone. But new statistics after nearly a year of war show just how big the Russian losses are.

But Ukraine would not have been able to achieve the victories it has so far and gain a strategic advantage without the support of NATO and especially the United States. Despite these successes, however, there are voices in the US calling for a reduction in Washington’s support for Kiev. But America has never achieved such military success, especially indirectly, with such a small investment.

Since the start of the war, the United States has pumped $21 billion into Ukraine’s military. The total amount Washington has helped the European state with in the last 11 months (including generators, internet connection systems like Starlink, supplies, medical equipment, etc.) is close to $50 billion.

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Among other things, Ukraine received from America: 54,000 missiles and anti-tank systems (8,500 Javelin systems), 45 T-72B tanks, 20 Mi-17 helicopters, 38 HIMARS platforms, 175 155 and 105 mm howitzers, ammunition, and countless smaller pieces of equipment. Other countries that have helped Kiev a lot, especially militarily, include the UK, Germany, France, Poland, the Czech Republic and Estonia.

To sum up, the amount the US has invested in this war represents less than 5% of its annual defence budget. With this money, 50% of the systems and equipment that Russia had in active service before the conflict have been eliminated, according to an analysis by 19FortyFive.

According to the Oryx website, Russia lost in Ukraine: 1,600 tanks, over 300 aircraft, 600 artillery pieces, 750 armored assault vehicles, and 1,800 armored personnel carriers. These are only the systems for which the loss is visually confirmed. In reality the losses are probably greater.

The achievement is extraordinary. According to some experts, about $200 million of the 2022 US defense budget has been allocated to countering Russia worldwide. Washington has managed to put Moscow’s military on the chopping block by spending only a quarter of that amount.