Here's a look at Russia's upgraded army, in about 90 seconds

Russia is boosting its defense spending on this stuff

(Image credit: BBC/YouTube)

published 9 February 2015

Russia's economy is reeling from sanctions and depressed oil prices, but it's still upping its military budget by 33 percent this year, the BBC reports in this brief look at Russia's military spending — and, most interestingly, what Moscow is spending its money on. It's not a very uplifting way to spend 90 seconds of your time, but it's informative, and suggests what recently bellicose Russia considers its strategic priorities.

Russia will spend 4.2 percent of its gross domestic product on the military this year, versus the 3.7 percent of U.S. GDP going toward the Pentagon. But because Russia's economy is so much smaller, the U.S. still outspends Russia by a lot. Watch. —Peter Weber

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.

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