Sputnik: Russian Warships in Caspian Sea Launch Attack on ISIL in Syria
Russian warships have launched a total of 26 cruise missiles at Islamic State facilities, destroying all targets.
Russian warships have attacked Islamic State targets in Syria, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Wednesday during a meeting with President Putin.
“Besides using aviation to destroy militants, this morning ships from the Caspian Flotilla were brought in, four destroyers launched 26 Kalibr sea-based cruise missiles at 11 targets,” Shoigu told Putin in a meeting televised by Rossiya-1.
WNU Editor: When I first heard of this report early this morning I was sceptical .... firing cruise missiles from the Caspian Sea?!?!?!? But apparently that is exactly what they did.
More News On Reports That Russia Has Launched Cruise Missiles At The Islamic State From The Caspian Sea
4 Russian warships launch 26 missiles against ISIS from Caspian Sea -- RT
Caspian Flotilla ships fire 26 cruise missiles on IS targets in Syria — Defense Minister -- ITAR-TASS
Russian missiles 'hit IS in Syria from Caspian Sea' -- BBC
Escalating Syria Attack, Russia Fires Missiles From Warships -- NYT
Russian Warships Hit IS Targets in Syria -- VOA
Russia in Syria: Russia launches missiles against Isis from Caspian Sea after Turkish PM says only two out of 57 Russian air strikes hit Isis -- The Independent
Russia Announces First Strikes in Syria From -- WSJ
Russian warships in Caspian Sea launch attack on IS in Syria -- Trend
Russian Warships in Caspian Sea Target ISIS -- NBC
Russia Fires Rockets At IS From Caspian Sea -- SKY News
8 comments:
Assuming that this report is true, it may be a major provocation to Turkey and to Nato:
1. The flight path of cruise missiles launched from the Caspian Sea likely results in the missiles flying over Turkey. The missiles would fly over from the Caspian Sea , crossing Russia and perhaps Georgia, Armenia, or Azerbaijan, Turkey, and then to Syria. To be sure, it is theoretically possible for the missiles to fly south of Turkey, but that would take them over Iran and Iraq en route. Perhaps those countries agreed to overflights of Russian missiles at their meeting last week.
2. If Russia flew cruise missiles over Turkey, that would be a major escalation of Russia's violation of Turkish airspace over the weekend by its manned aircraft. I would not put it past Putin deliberately to fly his missiles over Turkey as a way of poking Erdogan and Nato in the eyes, and as an experiment to see what Turkey and Nato do in response.
3. If this in fact happened, it is a major provocation for Nato, with ominous implications for the Baltics.
The flight path is shown in the video. The missiles are flying over Iran and Iraq. Of course, we don't know if that is their actual flight path. I wouldn't be surprised either if they went through Turkish airspace.
This article says they flew south over Iran and Iraq.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-34465425
It makes sense to fly over Iran / Iraq. What makes this impressive is they shot from the Caspian sea. To fly over two countries and strike your intended targets. That's impressive. I'm curious as to why they don't just shoot from the med but I guess this was a bit of power projection in terms of PR.
I sincerely hope that you are wrong Publius. But the reports that are coming in indicate that the route that was travelled was via through Iran and Iraq, and it tells me that they gave Russia permission to use their air space. In a way .... that in itself is a huge story that I should post right now.
Get some
WNU Editor,
I sincerely hope I am wrong as well. Russia says that the missiles overflew Iran and Iraq, but this is the same Russia that claims to be bombing only ISIS.
I also agree that Iran and Iraq's permission for Russian missile overflights is a huge story in its own right.
ISIS, al Qaeda, al Nusra, Army of Conquest (my don't we think highly of ourselves!), a rose, or terrorist, by any other name...
Yes, please, do tell, just WHO are the Free Syrian Army?????? Maybe we should ask Expat from Syria in London Flat ummmm, I mean, The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (how officious sounding!!!)
As far as I can tell, it's five guys who are probably half way to Germany by now. Without their weapons of course. The "moderate" rebels need those.
And it is funny watching those slippery scumbags try to run cover for their nasty, soon to be dead, pet terrorists.
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