The Russians can any day drop their margins and put SpaceX out of business. They have the tech and the track record that SpaceX will take another decade or two to match.
SpaceX is being propped up cause NASA, Boeing, Lockheed et al have become such dinosaurs that they can't do anything by themselves.
This is an argument I haven't heard before. Any sources I can read up on to learn more?
As for the 'tech', yes the Russians have a long and pretty good history with rocketry but SpaceX has technological edges as well.
Having said that, here - http://novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/forum/forum13/topic2156/?PAGE... - is a table maintained by Russian space forum participant(s). You can dig for more original sources from there.
So - yes, I agree that the information sources are limited. But at least you can try to trace the original sources from posts there.
On the original question, I haven't seen a comparison of actual SpaceX launch prices with actual launch prices used by other launch providers, specifically Russian ones. With Russians it could be useful to check both "commercial" and "federal" launch prices, as the first are driven by market, while second are more driven by actual costs.
Can SpaceX prices be compared to Russian ones?
I.e. "federal" prices are likely subsidized. What's the point using them?
First if mentioned in John Clark's "Ignition!", where he says that the Russian approach to bigger payload isn't the technology, but just the size of the rocket - with same low-tech as something smaller. So, in other words, technological edges aren't always translating into lower costs in this industry.
Second is Russian's technological edges with kerosene liquid fuel engines. Technologies are well-optimized, including costs, and are the primary used ones for Russian space program. Not solid rockets, not hydrogen - and comparatively little hydrazin-based rockets, at least by the number of launches.
SpaceX is not being propped up, the get contract because they beat everybody else on price.
Nevertheless it's a widely circulated claim in certain groups.
The idea that "SpaceX beats everybody on price" unfortunately got little actual checks. Of course there is the claim, and some support for that, like rocket structure, engines - but not the actual comparisons. SpaceX does wonderful advancements - but just how wonderful and how do they compare with existing offerings on the whole range of parameters, including price, is rarely compared to what SpaceX actually proclaims.
Don't overestimate the cost of older technologies.