you may be right but what does it really cost?
He has munitions inventory out the wazoo. He has a standing military that must be fed and paid any way. Casualties have been low, He has fuel for free.
I don’t see much cost at all above and beyond the normal support.
The expended munitions provide jobs for the people that make them
The Generals from Africa and South America that visited the war zone to see the weapons in action might actually buy something they see and then actually pay for it.
Putin’s sales gambit thus paid off. The foray into Syria was in reality a live fire sales presentation
There are always costs in this sort of thing.
- His men have to be paid extra - these aren’t conscripts. They certainly get foreign duty pay, etc.
- They have to be fed and otherwise supplied there, not at home where its cheap.
- They use up all sorts of things on active duty, not just ammo. Aircraft parts, engines, etc., down to boots and uniforms.
- They have to pay for construction and engineering for ports, roads, airfields, housing, utilities, etc.
- Yes they do pay for fuel, otherwise they could sell it. An opportunity cost is still a cost.
- Ammo stocks need to be replenished if used. Russian arms industries work on a cash basis.
And the Syrian government isn’t paying its way, Russia was subsidizing Assad. Iran was doing only a little, because they were very short of cash. Maybe the Iranians are better off now that we let them have their $150B.
Putin’s troops just got some combat experience, some target practice, and that’s good for their morale.
He has munitions inventory out the wazoo. He has a standing military that must be fed and paid any way. Casualties have been low, He has fuel for free.
I don’t see much cost at all above and beyond the normal support.
The expended munitions provide jobs for the people that make them
The Generals from Africa and South America that visited the war zone to see the weapons in action might actually buy something they see and then actually pay for it.
Putin’s sales gambit thus paid off. The foray into Syria was in reality a live fire sales presentation
And the people whom Putin helped (Assad) will demonstrate that Russia is a reliable ally unlike that Nation of F***ing idiots which elected a childish and mouthy nitwit just because he was black.
But you are absolutely right. This adventure was a total win for Putin.
IHS Jane’s estimated the cost to be $4m a day, plus the “specials” like $36m for the 30 cruise missiles they launched on Putin’s birthday.