Reuters/VICE: Russia Won't Comment on Whether its Troops Are Fighting in Syria
The Kremlin declined to comment on Thursday on whether Russian troops are in combat in Syria, after sources in Lebanon told Reuters that Russian forces had begun participating in military operations there.
Bashar al-Assad's opponents in the West and among Gulf Arab states fear a considerable Russian military buildup is taking place in Syria to support the country's president. Moscow says all its military assistance to the Syrian army is in line with international law.
"The threat coming from Islamic State is evident... The only force capable of resisting it is the Syrian armed forces," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, reiterating Russia's position that its long-time ally Assad should be part of international efforts to combat the ultra-hardline Islamists.
WNU Editor: As I had mentioned in a post yesterday, I have been reading reports on Russian social media that Russian soldiers embedded with Syrian soldiers have found themselves engaged in military combat .... which (to me) is not surprising in view of how fluid the situation is in Syria and how these advisers may find themselves in the middle of a battle. But are Russian soldiers actually initiating and directly participating in attacks with Syrian soldiers against rebel positions .... again .... as I said yesterday .... if true this is an entirely different and troubling development. After sleeping on it and talking with some people that I know in Russia whose observations I trust .... it appears that that the decision has been made in Moscow that Russia will now actively participate in military operations in Syria. In the past two months we have seen a parade of officials travelling to Moscow .... Iranian Quds force leader Qassem Suleiman was rumored to be there, Syrian foreign minister Walid al-Moualem was there in June where Putin promised military aid, and even Saudi Arabia has been talking with Russia on the Syrian crisis. With this type of involvement and diplomatic travel .... with hindsight one would say that something was up. As to what that involvement will entail .... I have come to the conclusion that Russia will now provide ground air support, more deadlier weapons, intelligence, the planing and the coordinating of operations, and yes .... the active involvement of Russian special forces.
More News On Reports That Russian Military Forces Are Now Fighting In Syria?
Exclusive: Russian troops join combat in Syria - sources -- Reuters
Putin Sends His Dirty War Forces to Syria -- Michael Weiss & Ben Nimmo, Daily Beast
EXCLUSIVE: First picture 'proof' that Russia has troops on the ground all over Syria helping dictator Bashar Al-Assad - and they've been there since APRIL -- Daily Mail
Syria denies Russian troops fighting alongside army -- Al Arabiya
Russia remains ally but won't confirm military advance, Syrian officials say -- The Guardian
Syria denies Russian combat troops fighting alongside army -- Reuters
The Kremlin refuses to talk about Russian soldiers reportedly fighting in Syria -- Reuters
Update: This is very revealing .... One Russian's Syria Cyber-Trail: He's On A 'Fighting Mission,' Wife Says (Radio Free Europe).
Update #2: How Can You Tell There Are Russian Troops in Syria? Just Look for Some Soldier Selfies (Fiscal Times).
18 comments:
If what I suspect is going on is true, then this is a big misstep for Putin. He and the Russian people may come to really regret this.
They have little or no choice. The collapse of the Syrian Government would be a disaster for the region and the world. Syria would end up as another Afghanistan. A breeding ground and base of support/refuge for Islamic fascism.
It is nit Russia who has made a huge blunder. It is those who, in pursuit of their own aims, have given aid and refuge to the Islamic militants.
Some questions consistently come to mind:
How was ISIS able to recieve weapons, vehicles etc. an maintain its forces in the field without outside support?
Who have they been selling the oil they control to?
Why is it possible to deploy armies to invade and occupy Iraq but (and others) but not "possible" to send armies to destroy lSIS? The argument that they're are political constraints are bunk as the lack of will of home populations has not stopped such interventions in the past.
Why has Turkey, a NATO member, been permitted to conduct its policy in the region without strong opposition from its allies or from the UN?
Who stands to gain from the collapse of the Syrian state and the division of the country along sectarian lines?
This whole ISIS/ syrian opposition/ civil war reeks with foreign (western and GCC) meddling.
It's takes a great deal of ideological conditioning to blame Russia, or anyone else, supporting the Baath at this point.
https://www.bellingcat.com/news/mena/2015/09/07/are-there-russian-troops-fighting-in-syria/
Thank you for the link Ropestuff.
So Russia now fights alongside a designated terrorist organisation. They may not be on the same battle lines but they are the same combined force...
Russia seems to be protecting their own interests in the region so I think they are going to fight alongside anybody who will help. ISIS and the various rebels are destabilizing the Assad regime and threatening Russian interests in the region so it makes sense for Russia to fight along with Assad and restore stability. In a sense, this may be the opposite of what the U.S did to Iraq.
They put a clear picture together. Drones and planes guiding armored units and naval and ground forces protecting the depot (and the port) and the nearby airport. Russia needs to secure this region now while they can before it all goes to garbage.
A side note: you recently blogged about the ISIS guys who fired an advanced rocket at an Egyptian military ship. Everybody was wondering where they got the hardware and the training. Hmmm.
Ropestuff .... I could be wrong but the speculation is that the missile that ISIS used came from Libya. Still ... who trained the guy to fire it?
Any news on what exactly the weapon was and how it got to Libya?
Apparently the missile that was used is a Russian anti-tank weapon. Beyond that the information is sketchy. More at the link. http://warnewsupdates.blogspot.ca/2015/09/islamic-state-video-footage-shows.html
I can hope it was the last one they had.
I found another link ... but this is pertaining to U.S. Hellfire missiles ending up in Sinai. http://warnewsupdates.blogspot.ca/2013/08/who-is-supplying-us-hellfire-missiles.html
RRH,
I think you may have misunderstood what I said about Russia. I'm not saying they are responsible for the Syrian situation, but rather making a big mistake in entering the conflict now and especially in the manner that they are. With that in mind I do say this is a misstep on Putin's part.
Stepping into a quagmire bigger than they can handle?
What goes around comes around eh?
Understood James,
And apologies for the misunderstanding. I do stand by the point, however, that given the shady nature of the situation in Syria and the players at work, I don't see Russia having much of a choice but to step up the military support. They've tried diplomacy but really have no one to talk to.
http://russia-insider.com/en/politics/us-fears-russian-syria-peace-plan-not-russian-intervention/ri9642
RRH,
No apologies necessary, it's I who needs to be clearer when I'm pontificating. As far as "I don't see Russia having much of a choice but to step up the military support", I don't see it as so much a necessity for the Russians as a choice, which drives my thinking on the subject, oh well time will tell.
Rumor has it that Syria, Russia, Iraq, Iran, and NK shared a lot of bio weapons technology. Rumor has it that Saddam shifted Iraq's program into Syria before Enduring Freedom. Syria could very easily have destroyed most of their chemical stockpiles but they may have, and I would assume did, keep just enough of the really nasty stuff around I case of impending disaster. IS is reportedly nearing some of the sites near Damascus where bio weapons are thought might exist. Russia may be clamping down because somebody has to grab this bull by the horns before it blows up.
Post a Comment