Russia spends 2,5 million dollars a day on surgery in Syria

Russian military operation Syria has been going on for almost a month. Finance Minister Anton Siluanov at the very beginning said that the Russian presence in Syria would not require additional expenditures that do not fit into the defense budget. In the presidential administration of Russia and the government claim that the operation is no more expensive than large military exercises. RBC calculated how much money Russia spends on the Syrian campaign.

In his calculations, RBC uses the methodology that was used in the UK when estimating the cost of an operation in Libya in the 2011 year. The campaign, which lasted 25 weeks, the British spent 320 million pounds - 1,82 million pounds per day (approximately 174,5 million rubles). Costs consisted of a number of articles - including allowances for military personnel and civilian specialists, maintenance of military equipment, maintenance of movable and immovable property, provision of food and medicine, supplies of ammunition and fuel.

The main item of expenditure is combat sorties. How much they cost is a state secret. RBC sources refer to amounts from three and a half to seven million rubles per flight hour. In Syria, Russian aviation is mainly used within the short-range, with the flight duration not exceeding 40 minutes. Based on the fact that airplanes on average perform 37 departures per day, RBC calculated that Russia spent 3,6 billion rubles on them for the first 25 days of operation. A day goes 146 million rubles or 2,4 million dollars.

In addition to aviation, Russia, in the framework of the Syrian operation, used Caliber cruise missiles. October 7 ships of the Caspian Flotilla executed 26 launches. The cost of missiles, as well as the cost of aircraft sorties, is a state secret. One launch of the American counterpart - "Tomahawk" - costs 1,5 million dollars. "Caliber", according to various estimates, can be both twice cheaper and much more expensive. RBC came to the conclusion that Russia spent 26 to 20 million dollars on launching 60 missiles.

During business trips to a foreign country, the Russian military receive a daily allowance in addition to their salary. In the case of Syria, their size is 62 dollar. However, “under the condition of catering at the place of service,” payments are reduced approximately threefold. In Syria, military personnel receive a daily allowance of $ 18,6. Sources close to the Ministry of Defense told RBC that about 1600 people were involved in the operation. Thus, per diem expenses are approximately 30 thousand dollars per day.

Food for the Russian military in Syria is prepared by military field kitchens. The exact amount of the ration is indicated in the closed part of the budget of the Ministry of Defense. According to expert estimates, it is 600 – 800 rubles per day. It turns out that the cost of food contingent in 1600 people amount to about a million rubles a day (16,5 thousand dollars).

Finally, the last major cost item is freight. According to RBC estimates, sea tanker and transport aviation flights cost almost 100 thousand dollars a day.

In general, according to RBC estimates, Russia spends at least 2,5 million dollars a day on the war in Syria. This amount does not include the cost of preparing the operation, as well as the repair and equipment of the airfield in Latakia, where are based Russian aircraft.

Previously, the "Forum" wrote about investigation results Bellingcat. The project participants came to the conclusion that in the overwhelming majority of cases, it is not the Islamic State that is being bombarded, but other armed groups fighting against the army of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.