Bashar al-Assad flew the equivalent of SEK 2.7 billion to Russia in 2018 and 2019, the Financial Times has reported.
During that time, the Assad family is believed to have been heavily indebted to Russia for its military support and purchases of luxury properties in Moscow, according to the paper.
At the same time, the Syrian economy has been left in ruins since the civil war in 2011, notes Middle East expert Alexander Atarodi in “Morning studio”. Then various parts of the industry and exports stopped working.
– You have had a reasonable economy and Syria perhaps belonged to some sort of middle-income country about 15 years ago.
Drug smuggling for the currency reserve
Now there are enormous challenges for the Syrian economy, with a great shortage of food, medicines and jobs.
For the regime, drug smuggling is said to have been an important source of income here. SVT has recently visited a designated drug factory in the Damascus suburb of Douma, where the drug captagon is said to have been manufactured.
– When everything else disappears in terms of trade, the regime has relied on smuggling of various types to be able to maintain some form of currency reserve, says Alexander Atarodi.
“Huge challenges” for the economy
At the same time, there are sanctions against the ruling group HTS, labeled as a terrorist by many, which can make economic development more difficult, Alexander Atarodi describes.
– In the long run, having an economy that can employ people and lift people out of poverty, that will be decisive for Syria’s future.
– These are enormous challenges. To create the conditions for political stability and for companies to dare to come and invest.
Assad and his family are now said to be in Moscow. On Tuesday, a first statement came from the ex-dictator. He described how he never “sought positions for his own gain”, but always saw himself “as a guardian of the nation, leaning on the faith of the Syrian people”.