Illustrative image. Source: the Syrian Ministry of Defense.
The Russian military has deployed air defense, radars and ballistic missile systems at a key base in Syria’s northeastern region, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported on March 27.
The base in question is an airfield located near the town of Sarrin in the northeastern countryside of Aleppo, which is held by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The Russian military took over the base in 2019 after a partial withdrawal by the United States-led coalition.
According to the London-based monitoring group, the Russian military deployed a Buk-M air defense system, several unidentified radars and eight OTR-21 Tochka tactical ballistic missile launchers in Sarrin base.
The Buk-M is a medium-range air defense system that can engage aerial targets with ranges from 22 to 50 kilometers depending on the variant.
The Tochka system has a range between 70 and 185 kilometers depending on the variant. The missile is well-known for its destructive warhead and high-accuracy. It has a circular error probable of less than 70 meters.
This was not the first time the Russian military deployed reinforcements in northeastern Syria this month. On March 18, the SOHR reported that 40 truck-mounted anti-aircraft machine guns arrived at a Russian base located near the SDF-held town of al-Sadia in the northeastern Aleppo countryside.
The Russian military has been expanding its presence in northeastern Syria for the last two years in an apparent attempt to corner Turkish-occupied areas in the region and counter the United States-led coalition.
The recent Russian movements in the northeastern region indicate that the special military operation in Ukraine has not affected the Russian deployment in Syria.
Dubious source.
Tochka ballistic missiles are no longer in service in the russian military.
These missiles are syrian.
But in storage! They still service these things and supply parts to those using them. These would be gift to the SDF or Syria. For example the S-200 is in service in Syria. Mig-21’s too. Parts and servicing still exist!
That Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, supposedly coordinated by some guy from his basement in the UK somewhere, has a network of informants and means to collect data that you would only expect an intelligence service of a large country to have. Don’t know what to think about it.
Its BS of course!
Bravo! Is nice to see Russia establishing more bases and creeping up on Kurdish YPG-PKK-SDF terrorist occupied Syrian territory.
Austrian MPs left the stage when Zelenskyy came to the stage in video call for his speech.
How many planes have they shot down so far?