Funding for Russia's Operation in Syria Part of Defense Ministry General Budget

The funding of the Russian Aerospace Forces' operation in Syria is a part of the general budget of the Russian Defense Ministry.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The financing for the Russian Aerospace Forces' operation in Syria is within the general budget of the Russian Defense Ministry, there is no separate budget, a high-ranking federal official said Friday.

"There is no separate budget for the operation in Syria — only in the framework of the general budget of the Defense Ministry," the official told RIA Novosti.

Russia started delivering air strikes on terrorist facilities in Syria on September 30, 2015, following a request for military assistance from Syrian President Bashar Assad. The United States with its allies have been conducting an operation against Daesh terrorist organization in Syria and Iraq since 2014.

In Syria, the US operation is conducted without the consent of the country's authorities. Washington refuses to coordinate its action against Daesh with Russia, despite repeated proposals from Moscow.