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Russia sends 240 tons of banknotes to Syria

27 November 2012 10:18 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Shamil Alibeyli – APA. Records obtained and analyzed by investigative group ProPublica show that some 240 tons of Syrian bank notes were printed by the Russian government and were flown to Syria this summer as the regime attempted to quash a rebellion, APA reports quoting The Epoch Times.

The banknotes were used to keep the beleaguered Syrian government afloat as its economy contracted due to sanctions and civil war that was estimated to have killed more than 30,000 since March 2011, according to some estimates. The money was used by the government to pay soldiers’ salaries and other things, ProPublica said in a report on Monday.

The United States and European Union have imposed harsh sanctions on Syria and its top leadership and the measures appear to be working as it is forcing the government to import money from Russia, which has been one of its most stalwart allies during the conflict. Both Russia and China have vetoed three Security Council resolutions against Syria. ProPublica estimates that 240 tons of banknotes were flown from Moscow to Damascus between July 9 and Sept. 15, using the Syrian Air Force-operated Ilyushin-76 cargo plane.