Ilya Petrovich Gorelyh, believed to be a member of the Spetsnaz brigade that took an active part in the fighting in Eastern Ukraine, in a photo geotagged in Aleppo.
Three serving or former Russian soldiers have been geolocated by photographs in Syria, including locations near Hama, Aleppo and Homs, Russian bloggers said on Sunday, suggesting the Kremlin's operation stretches well beyond its air campaign.
Russia first launched air strikes to support President Bashar al-Assad in Syria's four-year civil war on Sept. 30 but has repeatedly said it has no intention of mounting a ground operation.
It has instead said it will limit its help to military trainers, advisers and deliveries of military equipment.
U.S. security officials and independent experts told Reuters last week that Moscow had increased its forces in Syria to 4,000 personnel from an estimated 2,000. A U.S. defense official said multiple rocket-launcher crews and long-range artillery batteries were deployed outside four bases the Russians were using.
Update: Activists geolocate Russian soldiers on ground in Syria (Al Jazeera)
WNU Editor: Not surprised by this news .... and these soldiers are probably helping to target positions Syrian rebel positions for Russian aircraft to strike.
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