Monday, October 26, 2015

Is Russia Struggling To Hit Targets In Syria?

A frame grab taken from footage from a camera under a plane, released by Russia's Defence Ministry October 22, 2015, shows military jets of the Russian air force during a sortie at an unknown location in Syria. REUTERS/MINISTRY OF DEFENCE OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION/HANDOUT VIA REUTERS

Reuters: Before Syria, Russia struggled to land air strikes on target

In the courtyard of an apartment building in the town of Gori in ex-Soviet Georgia is a clue to whether Russia's air strikes on targets in Syria are as accurate as the Kremlin would like the rest of the world to believe.

Fashioned out of fragments of ordnance is a makeshift shrine to the five residents killed during the Russian-Georgian war in August 2008 when a Russian air force jet, which Georgian defense officials believe was aiming for a nearby tank regiment, missed and hit the apartment building instead.

"So, can we say that their strikes were accurate? I don’t think so,” said Gori resident Avtandil Makharadze as he stood in front of the now-rebuilt apartment block.

WNU Editor: The Russian - Georgian war was 7 years ago .... that is a lifetime ago when it comes to weapons development. And while it is probably true that the Russian military is playing catch-up .... air strikes are just a part of their campaign in Syria.

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