"New evidence proves Russian military directly engaging..." Topic

… in Syrian Civil War.

"The regime's offensive in the Lattakia Governorate continues to reveal previously unknown details about Russia's involvement in the Syrian Civil War. Apart from the sighting of recently delivered Russian BTR-82A infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs), new evidence now confirmes Russian military personnel has a key role in leading the offensive on the ground.

Sound fragments heard in a news report from the Media Wing of the National Defence Force (NDF) covering the offensive in Lattakia, which was also the first to reveal the presence of BTR-82As in Syria, confirm earlier accounts of Russian military personnel being sent to Lattakia in support of the ongoing regime operations in this area. Together with the Syrian Arab Army (SyAA) and the recently arrived Republican Guard, the NDF launched a new offensive aimed at recapturing territory previously lost to the rebels in North-Eastern Lattakia. If it proves successful, the offensive will greatly enhance the regime's control over its currently endangered heartland, and provide a serious blow to rebel forces.

The conversation is difficult to hear due to the booming noise coming from the BTR-82A's 30mm 2A72 autocannon, yet certain phrases can be made out, including calls to resume fire support and at some point "Ïàâëèí, ïàâëèí, ìû âûõîäèì", which translates to "Peacock, Peacock, we are moving out" (Peacock presumably being a callsign)…"
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Amicalement
Armand

You'd think people would learn.

Seems almost every time they get Russian/Soviet aid, they end up losing wars.

To be fair, our allies haven't fared much better of late.

What a surprise ?!?!? I'm shocked !!!!!!!!!!!!

(smile)

Amicalement
Armand

Apparently the Russians are setting up a FOB in Damascus, and will be conducting aviation operations in support of government forces: link

According to Western diplomats, a Russian expeditionary force has already arrived in Syria and set up camp in an Assad-controlled airbase. The base is said to be in area surrounding Damascus, and will serve, for all intents and purposes, as a Russian forward operating base.

In the coming weeks thousands of Russian military personnel are set to touch down in Syria, including advisors, instructors, logistics personnel, technical personnel, members of the aerial protection division, and the pilots who will operate the aircraft.

How long before Russian and Turkish/US combat aircraft "accidentally" engage each other?

Good. About time somebody started doing something to help the SAA.

How long before Russian and Turkish/US combat aircraft "accidentally" engage each other?

Good point Noble … Putin has another front to jerk the US government's chain …

So are they fighting the good Syrian rebels or the bad Syrian rebels?

Maybe they can add little markers on TV, like in Call of Duty, so you can tell whether the particular insurgent we're seeing is a noble freedom fighter or an evil jihadist.

I see it as nothing more than desperation of both the Assad regime az well as Putin to prop-up Russia's shrinking influence in the Middle East. Won't matter much in the long run and just serves to deplete Russian wealth and fighting men.

I agree cwlinsj, and really the world would be a little better place with both Assad and Putin gone. But Deash is not the lesser of any evils. So we may have to wait and see who is left standing after the smoke clears. Which may be awhile …

That depends greatly on who takes over after Assad.

There's a decent chance, it'd be a bunch of guys with black flags as it stands right now :/

@Weasel: then we can actually declare war against the DAESHbags and have more reasonable ROEs.

More Signs That Russian Forces Are Now Embeded With Syrian Army Units

"The end of summer. It means back-to-school shopping, tearfully ended beach-borne romances, Labor Day barbecues—and, it would seem, the increased likelihood of new Russian adventurism. As if Moscow weren't satisfied with the game in Ukraine, the last month has seen a flurry of reports about its ever-expanding military involvement in Syria.

One report has even alleged that Russian pilots are gearing up to fly missions alongside the Syrian air force, dropping bombs not just on ISIS but on anti-Assad rebels who may or may not be aligned with the United States or its regional allies.

Several sources consulted for this story said the Pentagon is being unusually cagey about Russia's reinvigorated role in Syria. A former U.S. military officer told The Daily Beast, "I'm being told things like, ‘We really can't talk about this.' That indicates to me that there's some truth to these allegations."…"
Full article here
link

YouTube link

Amicalement
Armand

I suspect the air space in Syria and over Iraq are a little congested now.

Really interesting comparing the language used for US vs Russia, when both are conducting expeditionary warfare to prop up their local allies.

"Russia stands steadfast with the only Arab state consistently fighting Sunni extremists" just doesn't make the Ruskies sound evil enough.

That depends greatly on who takes over after Assad.

There's a decent chance, it'd be a bunch of guys with black flags as it stands right now :/

That is always chance when it comes to taking down dictators, etc. … We see how well it worked out in Iraq and Libya, off the top of my head. Of course as I have been saying for sometime, getting rid of the Black Flag waving nut jobs should be a priority worldwide. Everybody knows it … but until the locals get their together. We'll see tragedy after tragedy because of Deash. Whether directly on the battlefield, or with terrorist acts. Or the continuing tragedy of the mass exodus of locals trying to get out of the region and head to Europe.

Funny my 1980's Scenario for my Moderns involves the Soviet Union funneling troops in through Syria to engage the US in Lebabnon after the Beruit bombings.

It is interesting that folks get so worked up when Russians send troops abroad to prop up wicked dictatorships but are perfectly content when Coalition troops are sent to prop up dictatorial Royal families or military juntas. Why shouldn't the Russians support their ally Assad when we in the West support tyrants like Islam Karimov in Usbekistan, Nazarbayev's Kazakstan, the al-Khalifa's of Bahrain or the House of Saud. It's the pot calling the kettle black in my opinion.
Rod Robertson.

Black kettles and pots – is that code for black ops and… ;-P

Kettle = Police Action = Geopolitical Kettling.

Well … there are a lot of "Kettles" to go around …

True dat, Legion 4!