Syria’s Ousted Leader Flew $250 Million To Russia
By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
DAMASCUS (Worthy News) – A quarter of a billion dollars was reportedly airlifted from Syria to Russia by Bashar al-Assad long before the autocratic Syrian leader was ousted by Islamic rebels this month.
Over two years, Assad transported $250 million in cash to Moscow on 21 separate flights, according to an investigation by the Financial Times (FT) newspaper.
The FT said that it had uncovered records showing that Assad’s regime flew two tonnes of banknotes into Moscow between 2018 and 2019 to be deposited at Russian banks.
Assad also purchased several luxurious apartments in central Moscow during this period, said sources familiar with the case.
Some funds are also believed to have been used for military acquisitions.
The FT investigation showed that in 2019, one flight alone transported $10 million in $100 bills via Moscow’s Vnukovo Airport, and another flight reportedly carried €20 million in 500 euro notes that year.
BANK TRANSACTIONS DIFFICULT
International sanctions had made it apparently impossible for Syria to transfer money through traditional banking channels. As a result, all transactions had to be conducted in cash.
There was no immediate comment from the Kremlin or Assad, but the two had a long relationship.
As an ally of Syria, Russia has a significant military presence in the country, including a port for naval vessels in Tartus. Moscow is hoping to keep this port despite Assad’s ouster, as it is a key asset for Russia’s footprint in the Middle East.
The Syrian president relied on Russian President Vladimir Putin to maintain his power base during the Syrian civil war, with Russian aircraft bombing the rebel stronghold of Aleppo in 2015 and 2016.
However, Assad was eventually toppled earlier this month by rebels led by the group Hayʼat Tahrir al-Sham.
Human rights activists and people celebrating his downfall say “Assad’s regime” had been “looting Syria’s wealth” and turned to criminal activity, such as the drug trade, to finance its grip on power through military operations.
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