Becoming a Russian Oligarch After Rebirth
Chapter 660: The Murderous Intent Rises with Concealed Weapon_1

Chapter 660: Chapter 660: The Murderous Intent Rises with Concealed Weapon_1

Counting both combat and non-combat personnel, let’s calculate based on a total of ten thousand.

With an average monthly salary of one thousand dollars per person (the wages of logistics personnel are relatively lower), the total annual wage bill alone comes to 120 million.

Let’s not factor in the cost of equipment and warship acquisition, as these were one-time investments made by Wang Ye. The need for large-scale purchases of equipment would not arise in the short term, unless the workforce was expanded.

However, the cost of maintenance is substantial. Maintaining armored vehicles, warships, helicopters, etc. isn’t cheap.

Add to that the day-to-day expenses such as food, clothing, accommodation, transportation, fuel for vehicles and aircraft, and consumption of ammunition during training.

Without overestimating, this might just amount to roughly two hundred million.

This is higher than personnel wages, but that’s to be expected in the Armed Forces.

It’s not feasible to calculate expenses the same way as a regular company does.

Perhaps the biggest expense for a typical company is personnel wages, but it’s different for a security company.

This is also the expenditure in a non-combat scenario. If a conflict arises, or even if there are casualties, that expenditure will further increase!

In any case, conservatively estimating, Wagner Security Company has fixed annual expenses of 320 million US dollars.

With an income of 250 million and expenses of 320 million, there is a funding gap of 70 million US dollars.

Of course, this amount isn’t a big deal for Wang Ye; he can easily cover it.

But the problem is, it’s not feasible to have Wang Ye dig into his pocket every year. Why maintain this large workforce and purchase tons of equipment if that’s the purpose?

This is a problem that Petrov must take seriously.

So, he too is anxious.

Given the size of Wagner Company, small-scale operations are no longer viable. Even if they take on a few more security jobs for oil fields and mineral resources, those are but petty gains and won’t resolve the significant issues.

If they are going to expand, they must go big!

After several months of evaluation and careful consideration, Petrov proposed this plan.

Continue to expand the scale and "occupy" Africa!

Of course, this "occupation" isn’t literal. Wagner Company dares not stir up too much commotion.

If that happened, the major powers would turn their attention here, and that could lead to an unfavorable situation.

What they plan to do is set up several security bases in key locations in Africa.

They will sign cooperation and development agreements with the local governments or major tribes to develop the local resources together.

They operate under the guise of doing business.

As for what resources are available locally, they will explore slowly. If there are no diamond mines, they’ll look for gold mines, and if there aren’t any, they’ll search for metal mines like iron or copper mines. If all else fails, they could look for coal mines or rare earth mines.

If nothing comes up, they could establish coffee bean plantations, tobacco plantations, rubber plantations, etc. That should do it...

Either way, the human resources on the African continent are outrageously cheap. Ultimately, human resources are resources too!

Someone might argue – why not directly negotiate these things in the name of an investment company, why involve such a strong armed force?

Those people are too naive.

In Africa, a magical land of frequent wars and civil strife, a person who takes power today might be overthrown tomorrow.

Local tribes might not care about your legal paperwork or national authorization; they might just decide to rob you, refusing to reason with you.

Under such circumstances, only having enough power to protect oneself and deter enemies can ensure stability in "business".

Imagine this - if you were to develop a gold mine and sent in well-behaved managers in crisp white shirts and dress pants, who speak gracefully.

The locals would think that not robbing you would be a crime.

However, what if your gold mine is guarded by tough big guys holding submachine guns, dressed in camouflage with bulging waistbands and armored infantry vehicles patrolling from time to time, and machine guns mounted on high ground...

Even the most foolhardy locals wouldn’t dare to take a step toward your mine!

Therefore, this is also an investment– the safest one!

...

This year, Wagner Security Company already has a funding gap of 70 million US dollars. If they’re to add three thousand combat personnel...

Then for non-combat personnel, there must be over a thousand in logistics support.

A total of four thousand personnel would mean an additional fifty million in salaries per year plus daily expenses would roughly amount to a hundred million...

And they’d have to purchase corresponding weapons and equipment, excluding heavy-duty gear.

Just guns, ammunition, and transport vehicles would require a one-time investment of at least fifty million.

This means that this year’s funding gap would reach 220 million US dollars!

That’s a conservative estimate...

Of course, if Petrov makes progress and "finds" a few gold mines or diamond mines, this funding issue can be resolved.

Therefore, whether to take this step depends on Wang Ye’s decision.

...

When Wang Ye first established Wagner Security Company, he had no intention of making it so large...

He wanted to have a private armed force, which would make things more convenient.

But now, it’s like a snowball in Petrov’s hands, almost forming a special operations division...

Honestly, with such force deployed in Africa, nothing can stand in their way!

There is no force that can resist!

Once Petrov and Wagner Company slowly expand their operations, taking control over larger territories, their influence will grow stronger.

Perhaps in the future, others might call me the invisible emperor of Africa...

Thinking about this, Wang Ye felt a bit excited.

A hundred or two hundred million US dollars? I’m in!

With a flourish, he signed his name, Mikhail, on Petrov’s proposal.

This means that the Siberian and Crimean bases of Wagner Security Company would soon be buzzing again.

This is because the recruitment centers are usually located in these two places.

Outside the base, long queues will form again, filled with tough big guys that would intimidate the average person...

...

Once the program was approved, Wang Ye remembered something and told Yelena, "When you call Petrov later, ask him about the pirate-hunting project he mentioned earlier. I’ll have a few days free in the near future and plan to sail on my warship. It would be great if I could encounter some pirates."

With a weapon in hand, the desire to kill naturally arises!

This saying is indeed true.

Ever since the delivery of the large warships, Wang Ye has wanted to fire some rounds at sea and test the capabilities of these large vessels!

Of course, it’s not interesting to fire at an empty sea, and they obviously can’t attack regular cargo or passenger ships.

So, hunting pirates became the best choice.

Not only is it legal, but it is also seen as removing a menace to society...