The Russian Defense Ministry is looking to buy 10,300 medals for participants of Russia's military campaign in Syria, according to an announcement of bidding procedures posted Monday on the government's procurement website.
The ministry is offering to pay up to about 194 rubles ($2.82) for each medal for a “participant of the military operation in Syria,” and up to nearly 25 rubles ($0.35) for each accompanying certificate, or nearly 2.3 million rubles ($33,000) in total, according to the order description. The federal budget is cited as the source of financing.
Russian officials have not disclosed the number of servicemen who took part in the military campaign in Syria.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a partial withdrawal of troops from Syria earlier this month. The Defense Ministry said shortly afterwards that air strikes — which had begun in September 2015 — would continue against “terrorist” targets.
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