Russian President Vladimir Putin (R), Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (L) and Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem (back to camera) attend a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, June 29, 2015. REUTERS/ALEXEI NIKOLSKY/RIA NOVOSTI/KREMLIN
Reuters: Exclusive: Russian troops join combat in Syria - sources
Russian forces have begun participating in military operations in Syria in support of government troops, three Lebanese sources familiar with the political and military situation there said on Wednesday.
The sources, speaking to Reuters on condition they not be identified, gave the most forthright account yet from the region of what U.S. officials say appears to be a new military buildup by Moscow, one of President Bashar al-Assad's main allies, though one of the sources said the numbers of Russians involved so far were small.
Two U.S. officials said Russia has sent two tank landing ships and additional aircraft to Syria in the past day or so and has deployed a small number of naval infantry forces.
WNU Editor: I have read reports on Russian social media that Russian soldiers embedded with Syrian soldiers have found themselves engaged in military combat .... which 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 Russian soldiers initiating and directly participating in attacks with Syrian soldiers against rebel positions .... if true this is a new and ominous development.
2 comments:
I actually view the Russian intervention in Syria with fatalism.
1. The United States, under this president, is not going to intervene in Syria in a way that will significantly change anything. The U.S. may tinker around the edges, but nothing we the Americans will do is going to materially affect the outcome of the war.
2. There are no "good guys" in Syria, with the exception of some Kurdish and Christian militia at the edges of the country. Neither the Kurds nor the Christians will have a material affect on the outcome of the war. All the major combatants, including the Syrian military and its supporting militias, Hezbollah, the Iranians, al Nusra, ISIS, and the various fighters from around the planet who are in Syria to fight; ALL of them are not boy scouts and all represent groups hostile to the United States and to the West.
3. I agree with WNU editor that the war will go on for the foreseeable future, probably years. I'll bet Assad and his allies define success at this point to be (a) survival, and (b) control of those parts of Syria important to them.
4. I also agree with WNU editor that Russian troops are taking a terrible risk entering this maelstrom. Putin may not care, but how will the Russian people react if a Russian captive is murdered in some especially horrific way before the cameras? Such a video would be impossible to repress.
Publius,
Any ideas on what Putin is considering his pay-off for this move. This one really has me baffled.
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