Ministry of defence of the Russian Federation
Written by J.Hawk exclusively for SouthFront
When Russian aircraft were first spotted at the Hmeimim airbase in Syria, the initial stunned Western reaction, due to the failure of intelligence agencies to anticipate or predict this major operation, soon gave way to predictions Russia was involving itself in an unwinnable quagmire that would surely end in humiliating defeat. Two years later, even though the final outcome of the war in Syria is still unclear, and in spite of the human and material losses suffered by Russian forces in that conflict, it is clear the operation was a remarkable success in both military and political terms.
Syria as Proving Ground
The most visible aspect of Russia’s aid to the Syrian government has been the steady parade of new or modernized weapons systems on various battlefields in that country. This war was the baptism by fire for the Su-34 tactical bomber, the Su-30SM and Su-35 fighters, and a means to test the modernized older aircraft. Heavy bombers of the Long-Range Aviation also mark, striking enemy targets with both bombs and advanced Kh-555 and Kh-101 cruise missiles.
Operations in Syria gave Russian Aerospace Forces the opportunity to test its ability to sustain a relatively high sortie rate over a prolonged period of time, rotate most of its aircrews through the theater of war, and also explore the strengths and limitations of its reconnaissance and target acquisition systems necessary to fully exploit the strike capabilities of its aircraft.
Click to see the full-size map
Other branches of service have also had a similar opportunity to test equipment in demanding wartime conditions. The ongoing modernization of Russia’s tank fleet and the final development of the T-14 and other members of the Armata family will no doubt benefit from the experience gathered with the T-90 and T-72B3 MBTs in Syria where, unlike their Aerospace Forces brethren, they actually had to face modern weapons in the form of TOW-2A ATGMs supplied by the US and its allies to a variety of jihadist formations.
Finally, the Navy’s contributions included corvette-, frigate-, and submarine-launched Kalibr cruise missile strikes, and the somewhat less impressive sortie of the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier to the Mediterranean during which it lost two aircraft to accidents.
Collectively, the use of a wide range of hardware in the Syrian conflict not only exposed the strengths and weaknesses of its weapons systems, it also raised the attractiveness of Russian weapons on the international arms markets. Russian weapons have been once again proven themselves to be rugged, dependable, and effective. For example, while the world has now seen burned-out hulks of M1 Abrams and even Leopard 2 MBTs dismembered by internal explosions, the T-90 has demonstrated considerable resilience against modern AT weapons. And even weapons that did not have to fire a shot, like the S-400 air defense systems, demonstrated they can hold US and NATO airpower at bay.
Building a 21st-Century Military
Somewhat less visible are the doctrinal changes brought about by the experience gained during fighting in Syria. This conflict may be viewed as a blueprint for future proxy conflicts between the growing number of nuclear-armed powers fought by a mix of professional soldiers and irregular militias backed by airpower and cruise missiles. Moreover, the war in Syria reinforced the trend evident in earlier conflicts, namely the polarization of warfare into the two extremes of lightning war of maneuver in a low force-density environment, and grinding urban warfare decided not by technology but by preponderance of foot soldiers backed by brute firepower.
Military campaigns in Syria therefore resembled the fighting in Ukraine in 2014, which amounted to rapid advances from one built-up area to the next, followed by a prolonged period of costly fighting to clear the town of city of its defenders, before another rapid advance to the next town. The recent organizational developments within Russia’s Land Forces are a reflection of this evolution in warfare. In addition to the resurrection of the 1st Guards Tank Army and new heavy divisions with balanced tank and motorized rifle strength to ensure they can function effectively in both mobile and positional urban warfare, there are also new assault engineer battalions and even a motorized rifle brigade equipped mainly with light wheeled trucks, a reflection of ISIS successes with such formations in the open deserts of Syria.
Political Ramifications
Hardly any impartial observer of the parallel US and Russian military efforts in Syria and Iraq could possibly come to the conclusion the US had done a better job of it. Moreover, these conflicts have demonstrated the rather greater viability of the current Russian political system. Russia’s military performance should be viewed as the tip of the iceberg of the entire political system, and the military effects on the ground reflect the fact that, unlike their US counterparts, Russian soldiers have the backing of every other element of their state’s power which is moreover exercised more competently than the US national power. Thus while we see nearly constant examples of US allies and proxies fighting one another, with the Kurds’ clashes with Iraq forces being but the most recent example, such internecine fighting among Russia’s highly disparate allies in Syria is virtually unheard of.
Taken together, these successes have send the message to every political actor in the Middle East that while the United States does not view the stability and prosperity of the region as an important part of its national interest, Russia on the other hand is not only concerned with stemming instability but is also competent at managing it when given a chance.
Believe mann these in the white house a fucking fools. They have also officially handed over Israel to Iran, Iraq, Hezbollah, Turkey, Lebanon and Assad.
They are uprooting all the enemies of these and clearing the path for them to take Israel quite easily. I honestly believe they have already handed Israel over just like they did with the kurds.
Once Israel is attacked the US will bounce and say this is not our war as along as the battle is not against ISIS they will back down and come with excuses such as to expensive yada yada but hey they already used 10-trillion dollars figthing ghosts all over the world and as result may go bankrupt.
I’m even of the opinion that the US will side with Iran, Assad and Hezbollah rather then Israel when push comes to shove
Zionists are never satisfied, are they?
All the control over the US, Canada, European and even some Arab countries, I guess is not enough to satisfy this thirst for power. Always want more. I agree about the man in the white house and agree that Israel never could defend it’s illegal self, officially or otherwise without the help from uncle Sam and others. Nice little history twist about 2000 years of exile. For the majority of Israel’s population, the exile is less than 70 years, since they left their native countries and came to ME.
The worst enemy of Israel is Israel’s policies.
Israel is in a suicide mission, and will take its partner the US with it as a suicide pact.
Well Ivanka’s husband is a zionist isn’t he? American people voted him.lol.
I guess he is, but I didn’t know he is an elected official. What did they elected him for? I’m curious.
So is her father and mother and her step mother. Trumps paternal grandmother was jewish Current wifes father had jewish mother. Last wifes grandparent jewish.
Why is it a bad idea to force Israel to return the stolen territory of Golan Heights back to its owners the Syrian people? You can hardly blame the United States for its failure in the Middle East since that policy was made by Israel and AIPAC. Remember Israel’s policy to destroy Lebanon and the PLO? Well, it got Hezbollah instead. The best decision that Israel ever made was to return the Sinai back to Egypt. Until Israel returns the Golan Heights back to Syria, Syria will strengthen itself until to will take it back on its own with the help of its allies.
Fuck Israel. Dirty, filthy, racist, apartheid, racial supremacist, miltaristic bunch of evil cunts. They will drown in their own blood when the their karma account is forced to close due to bankruptcy.
Israel is not a second coming. Sorry, the people who call themselves Israelis have nothing in common with the biblical Israelites, no lineage no nothing. Most are Khazarian, a Pan European Turkman race who converted to Judaism in the 7th century AD. The overwhelming majority of the true discendants of the biblical Israelites have since converted to Christianity and Islam and believe it or not are called Palestinians today.
OK, now we can see who’s Deo Cass friends are :) We’re supposed to ask guidence from Hasidic Ultra Orthodox Jews :)
I tend to agree with Gary Sellars that you often sound very fishy.
Hasidic jews are almost wholly ashkenazi.
How deeply you underestimate Israel. It has newest scalar weapon technology, nuclear capacity, mini nukes situated in other countries for blackmail, penetration of intelligence and communication infrastructure of other nations and so on. Know your enemy.
Perhaps 10-years ago but definitely not today
Ah, then you’re talking about a paper entitled “Preparing For A Post Israel Middle East”, an 82-page analysis that concludes that the American national interest in fundamentally at odds with that of Zionist Israel. The authors conclude that Israel is currently the greatest threat to US national interests because its nature and actions prevent normal US relations with Arab and Muslim countries and, to a growing degree, the wider international community, which was published in 2012.
It was the source of all Israel’s whining about Obama’s administration’s hostility towards Israel. I believe they “fixed” that by meddling in the US election and helping Donald Trump to become the POTUS. Of course the meddling is now blamed on Russia, but the true meddler like always stays hidden from public’s eyes.
Fear not! As long as Trump is the POTUS, he’ll definitely put Israel ahead of the US national interests by a great margine. This is probably true for all the US presidents since Kennedy, some more than the others, but Trump took the servitude to a whole new level.
Quite the contrary to be frank. Trump is mega pro-Iran and Pro-Russia. the same goes to Mattis and Tillerson.
Israel have fallen off favor while groups like Hezbollah is sanctioned allover the West in Germany, Canada etc etc.
Honestly I don’t know what to say to THAT.
Lol! It’s hard to respond to someone whose head is so far up their ass that everything is literally upside down.
We should all ignore little miss Disinformation.
mini nukes situated in other countries for blackmail,
this is bullshit
OH? You have no idea how ruthless Israel can be. They are not the only ones to use mini nukes. Look at the smoldering mess under the twin towers on 9:11. This was way more than a fire!
israel simply has not this technology. theyhave normal nukes. where could they test it? earlier south africa helped them. today have no chanc for further development. also the same situation in iran. iran could only 1x test its bomb, and then finished. therefore is ugly the il, us, uk and fr propaganda.
I can’t agree.
all right :)
If only it were true but i do not think so.
Mountains – thank God for that.
Russia started well and the Syrian state was winning in every battle. Then Russia did two major blunders which could undo all that has been achieved so far. 1. It tried to appease the arch enemies of Syria, the illegal US and Turkish aggressors and invaders of Syrian sovereign land and airspace calling for a ‘Broad anti-ISIS coalition against Terror’ which partly legitimized the illegal US, Turkish military presence on Syrian sovereign land and air space. Both the US and Turkey grabbed the opportunity to beef up their invasion and occupation forces and work behind the scenes to compromise the Syrian government forces achievement on the ground. 2. It prevented the Syrian army to completely defeat the US terrorists and al-Qaida when the terrorists were on their last leg and broke the Syrian government forces momentum by calling for ceasfire agreements and creating the so called ‘de-conflicting zones’ which are nothing more than terrorist safe heavens and incubators. This pemitted al-Qaida aka HTS to re-arm, replenish its ranks and go on the counter offensive again using their 4 safe heavens as staging posts for their attacks on Syrian government troops. There is no political solution for Syria because the only solution which the US/Zionist terror coalition would accept is total capitulation of the Syrian state and the trasfer of power to a US/Zionist puppet regime. Today, more then ever, the US, Saudi Arabia and Turkey with the help of the Kurdish terrorist groups are in a position to impose this solution, or rather blackmail on the Syrian government and president using Syrian oil and gas as a pressure instrument. If the Syrian state refuses to bow down to this blackmail all of Syria’s Northern and North Eastern Syria with 80% of Syria’s precious oil and gas resources will be definately severed from the Syrian people and state and a new US/Zionist puppet state like Israel will rise, whatever the name, be it Rojava or the Syrian Democratic Federal state.
I couldnt have put it better myself..
IMO Russian strategic objectives were: to prevent Damascus to fall, then to defeat ISIS and Al Qaeda, but also to divert attention from Ukraine and to break isolation and force US to cooperate. They basically achieved all of that. Testing new weapons is just a bonus. I doubt they ever believed that Syria could be 100% liberated, nor they had any intention to start a war against Israel or Turkey or Saudis.
Which makes no sense whatsover, the US terrorists have proven in Europe, Japan, Aghanistan and South Korea that if they install themselves in a place, it is to foster warmongering and chaos.
That I agree, but Russia is not trying to save/liberate the world, they’re just trying to survive (as an independent nation). Unfortunately that is not acceptable for the Anglozionist empire and the conflict is inevitable. Eventually Russia will have to surrender or to fight… but right now I think they still believe that some compromise is possible. They tried that with Napoleon & Hitler as well…..
That’s why they needed to steal Syria’s only natural resources, to deprive Syria and the Syrian people of their only life line, put Syria on its knees, and blackmail Syria into submission forcing its elected president and government to hand over power to their puppet regime, which is their interpretation of the term ‘transition of power.’ That why reclaiming the Omar oil and gas fields is so fundamental, and the sooner they do it the better with or without Russials help.
Deo Cass – the only consistency in your comments is denigration of the Russians. I think only an idiot can read the above article and deny that Russia is the only reason the Syrian nation still exists as a fact on the ground. The fact is, Russia made a dangerous gamble getting involved when they have so many problems of their own to deal with – Ukraine, economic problems, US/NATO attempts to destroy them, etc – and did so, not because they saw Syria as a “pawn” but because they were concerned after Libya that the US/NATO bloc was out of control destroying country after country. They stepped in and made a success of it – not just militarily, but bringing together historic rivals and even enemies. Now we have a political bloc from Iran (maybe even Pakistan) all the way to Lebanon. This is a historic achievement, and the fact that they aren’t doing it quickly enough for you is irrelevant. All that matters in military strategy is holding the key centers of power, and controlling the borders – this has been achieved. There is no strategic ability for any “autonomous” Kurdish state to exist – neither in east Syria, nor in Iraq, nor in Turkey or Iran either. Can you not see the co-ordination involved? Do you think the Iraqi government just suddenly thought – maybe I’ll drive out the Kurds from Kirkuk today. No. This was part of a plan – cut off the borders and there is no state. I am very suspicious of anyone who tries to paint the Russians in a bad light after they have done so much, but I will put it down to over-enthusiasm to get the job done. But only a fool would think that SouthFront is not on the radar of the intelligence services of at least America, Israel and the UK/EU states – which means they are paying people to come here and make comments, trying to sow division and tout the “rebels”. Syria is not on its knees, it is winning – thanks to some great allies.
I think that “Erbil Republic” will exist, under the conditions that they are circumspect in the independent foreign policy and do not control more area than in 2003. And given that they lost control of ca. 2/3 oil production that was “planned” to support their independence, they may find it beneficial to cut a win/win deal with Baghdad. This may be a blue print for Rojava that may become a stable highly autonomous region that is reasonably cut in size. And who knows, the successors of Erdogan may offer reasonable autonomy to north-western Kurds too.
The objective of saving Damascus is being threatened today as we speak. ISIS is back at the Yarmuk camp in Damascus and advancing. HTS aka al-Qaida is dangerousely getting stronger in al-Gouta Damascus countryside and being replenished and re-supplied from the terrorist safe heaven and incubator in that same area. Damascus is again being bombarded. Don’t take this objective of saving Danascus as being reached. When you have two malignant tumours in your brain I don’t think you could claim to be safe!
Dunno about you but I don’t have tumors (seriously, a terrible example); obviously the war is not over (yet) but ISIS is strategically defeated, just compare their power and territory two years ago and today. A few more weeks, months and it will be over. Their desperate, limited ‘counteroffensives’ will achieve nothing. SDF is the real problem now. But I believe Russians can accept them and move on…. The Great game continues: Syria is just one (bloody) episode, nothing else, nothing more.
Agreed, and Deo sounds like a NATOstani troll who desperately looks to finds reasons to call Russian intervention an ‘epic fail”, and for whom the facts really matter very little.
ISIS are defeated in practical terms. The momentum lies with Damascus, and the enclaves at Yarmouk, East Ghouta, Iblib, Homs-Hama ect will be dealt with once the fighting stops in the East and the SAA can get around applying some real muscle to squash these last terror enclaves.
You are completely wrong about me. I’m an anti-colonialist, anti imperialist activist who supports the right of states to their independence and sovereignty. I’m disappointed at Russia which I had high hopes could live up to its commitment of defending Syria and the Syrian people from US/Zionist aggression, invasion and occupation by proxy and now directly. When I saw S400 arriving to Syria I thought that Syria was safe and no one would dare attack it. But time after time I have seen Russia simply stand idly by as both the US, Turkey and Israel bomb and invade Syria and its air space and Russia doing nothing and saying nothing. It did not even retaliate when the US murdered its own general with a drone air strike (the excuse that it was an ISIS mortar shell is bulloks). This inaction by Russia has led Syria’s enemies to be emboldened and encouraged them to up the ante against the sole legitimate Syrian government and its beloved President. I support Syria and its brave Syrian people and its elected President Bashar al-Assad.
Didn’t retaliate when US murdered Russian general? Do you know how many US specops (embedded within ISIS and AlQueda bunkers) died before and after generals death? Sorry that your expectations are that high. Russia does as best it can and is playing in the long run. Surya is only one front and globe is large.
You are right. For Russia Syria is just a chessboard. The Syrian people are its pawns while Tartous and Hmeimen bases are its king. Assad is the queen on this Russian chessboard and I bet my precious assets that Russia is ready to sacrifice the queen to try and save the king. Not to mention the poor Syrian pawns who are there to be sacrificed for the global picture! Sorry, this argument is unacceptable. There is a code of honour that allies and true friends should stand for one another. Syria has done its part for Russia. Russia is never justified if it lets Syria and the Syrian people down. Period.
tumor, you commie, you wrote manytimes, that saa will take oil fileds and not kurds. you were wrong. you should save us befor your comments.please, only pay monthly for SF. this wuld be good act from you. :)
It’s not epic yet and the situation could be saved before it gets out of hand. But Russia needs to help Syria get its oil and gas fields and reclaim the Syrian state’s legitimate sovereignty and guirisdiction over all of Syria especially the Eastern banks of the Euphrates river. After all, the US and co have no legitimacy there while Russia has. This would put Syria in a much better position to negotiate a dignifying peaceful solution to the war. As it stands, Syria is not in such a strong position and the Astana and Geneva talks are destined to fail as the US and co will demand Bashar al-Assad’s head again. But I’m suspecting Russia could have already accepted such a scenario, which would explain the Saudi tyrant’s visit to Moscow and the re-establishing of relations. I hope I’m wrong, but only Russia can dispel these suspicions by helping Syria reclaim its vital natural assets.
I get a kick out of these nay sayers who ignore the Syrian government foot print growing every week and then criticize it for not growing fast enough. Their logic that Russia and the rest of the coalition are losing while the regime change controlled areas shrink month after month is idiocy.
No, what did you understand? It is not about you I’m talking about. I don’t wish anybody any harm. It is a metaphor about Damascus. The two tumours are ISIS and al-Qaida right in Syria’s brain, its capital city Damascus!
Yeah I know, I just didn’t like that sentence… never mind – terrorism is a disease indeed, and the russian intervention was the best available treatment in this case: the patient/Syria survived (though it won’t be easy to recover completely)
Perfect analysis!
I agree with other commentators – judging by what “idea” and how you’re pushing it, you’re probably a nicely masked troll :D
“Then Russia did two major blunders which could undo all that has been achieved so far. 1. It tried to appease the arch enemies of Syria, the illegal US and Turkish aggressors and invaders of Syrian sovereign land and airspace…”
Deo Cass is not the only one to understand the logic of limited war. While for Syria this is a “total war”, consuming all resources that the state can mobilize etc., for Russia, USA, Turkey etc. it is not. The domestic support may well fracture if too many resources are committed. In the case of USA, the military budget is sufficiently bloated to cover quite a bit of escalation, but the tolerance of human losses can be very limited. Putin surely had to take care of his nation under the condition of precipitous drop in export prices.
Currently, there is an effective ceasefire with “moderate jihadists” with quite few breaches, and “SAA and allies” are on course to eliminate territorial control of ISIS. This ceasefire seems to entail some deal with USA and Turkey. In the medium time-scale, SDF will be the only major obstacle for restoring territorial integrity of Syria, but this is precisely what is aligning Turkey closer to Russia.
Concerning “4 safe heavens of HTS”, observe first that there were many more at the beginning of Russian involvement, many enclaves were eliminated. Next, “re-arming” of HTS is not visible in the limited scope of their recent offensives. My guess is that once ISIS is eliminated, most HTS offensives will meet with resolute response and territorial losses until the control areas of “moderate rebels” will wither to nothing. Then SDF problem can be resolved, probably mostly politically.
The result is bittersweet, worse than during Yom Kippur when the Golan Heights were seized by the US terrorists under Nickel Grass to be delivered to the eastern European settler extremists. The last time Russia negotiated something with the US, the USSR was ripped apart and NATO went to occupy Russian borderlands, and in Syria, where negotiation is the only possibility besides all-out war right now, it is not looking much better.
lets be patient…..we will see how things work out
You think the SDF is capable of going toe-to-toe with the SAA? You’re dreaming buddy. You think the Yanks will stick their colours to the mast and fight for the Kurds? Delusional to the max.
i saw, that assad has only tiger forces. everythin else is shit in uniform. with 5000 soldiers assad is hapopy, if will not fall. if kurd begin fight assad, then assad will flee.
I haven’t uttered a word of SAA going against the US terrorists/SDF, much less about the Russians doing the same against their “our western partners”. The point still stands because Syria is in a bad position to negotiate given that all of northern and eastern Syria has been taken by US-led terrorists.
Syria: Two Years of Russian Intervention
The division of Syria is reality. Putin, the Nomighty! Russia, the lame duck.
You, a stupid fuck.
Russia is no lame duck. Believe me it has teeth and claws to bite and cut to pieces those who attack her. For example, the US would never dare to attack Tartus or Hmeimen. That’s why I’m perplexed. If only it could treat its ally’s interests in the same way as it treats its own interests. But instead it is trying to play a neutral role. I cannot explain this. Make’s no sense to me.
Its not playing a neutral game, its playing a smart game. Its engaging the Muricans to achieve a desired common goal, but is in the box seat to be kingmaker once its all over. Russia has Iraq and Iran in its corner, despite the former being an ostensible US ally. Iraqi interests are NOT the same as Murican interests and the Iraqis are not about to be a good little satrap.
Russia is also making nice with Turkey and using the Turks to pressure HTS in Idlib. SDF are screwed – surrounded by hostile Arab nations with far greater power than them. They will concede to the big fish, or they will get eaten.
i think, you dont realize, how ugly is talking about games, wgere millions die.
i heard the same propaganda about ussr. and nicely lost everything. for what are teeth, when does not show them in taime when needed? russia has no teeth. decrease of oil prices resulted in shofting of debelopment of new weapons and modernization of army. russi ia unfortunately very poor.
before the Russins intervened there was no SYria, just a small piece of land controlled by Assad, some areas controlled by mercs with different banners (whoever pays them better) and the biggest part controlled by ISIS. I call that, not division, but chaos. everyday videos of people tortured and brutally murdered by ISIS? fsa killing 10year old boys because they were ‘spies’ etc……this was not a divided country…..
russia fought for its bases,not syria and assad. so, russia betrayed the syrians.
Russian bases?only one harbour in Tartus which was safe form the start…..why bomb palmyra or DEZ to save Tartus naval base?they established bases on airports during the war just to cope with logistics and be more effecient
if assad were fall, the new government would kick out russians.
maybe but maybe then the Russians would have been involved in the oil business more so they could not afford to kick them out.
but the licence gives the government. and i am sure, not russian firms would get them.
you have a point there…..but the military bases on foreign soil are not all the same. in the case of Syria they had a military assistance deal since decades ago when we were talking about USSR. Syria was on soviet influence.
According to Solomon and Deo Cass – that was much better situation than what there is in Surya now.
you commie animal! russia did not saved sria, this is truth. russia has benn found as weak, declining country, which is not able to guarantee nothing, neither in syria, nor in donbass, nor nowhere in the world.
th bog truth is, for assad and sria would be much, much better make deal with israel, sadis and usa. there would be no civil war, not destructed and sdivided syria, no 300 000 dead, but prosperity. assad could be crowned for king. :P the big lesson: dont trust russians, dont count on them. they have onl big words (a la putins nuking of isis), do nothing relevant, betray you and you cen only lost with their comradeship.
Solomosha, I hope that walls are soft in your cell. Bouncing your head off the walls in desperation but keep ignoring the facts. I feel your pain :) You know that what you preach is not working and this is driving you mad.
otherwise, do you know, that garga on thos forum openli writes about that you both will kill me? he makes direct threatening aso with your support.
Lol, now Jews start their favorite victim game :) “Help! Help! They are literally killing me!”.
i see, garga is jew, bacause he playaed the role of victim :DD
so, you did not deny your murder plans ;)
Liar! I wrote that I intend to sell you to Tudor, if you come with me to Russia during winter, or the deal is off. I need the money you know.
I can’t tolerate if someone pluck one strand of hair from your gorgeous head.
Now that I made it clear, would you please come? :)
so, you want me also kodnapp
from day to day better
No silly. You’re forcing to spill the beans. Here’s my plan: You’re supposed to come willingly otherwise it won’t work. We go together, I’ll receive the money and I will hit the road and return home as a rich man.
I’m sure you’ll have plenty of fun, so, please come. OK?
but IF i come in moscow, i will make busines with really big dogs. is that situation safe for you???
but naxt year in may i will visit kishinyev. maybe in that city will be for you easier to kill me :))
Oooh, you’re a big boy, aren’t you?
Who said anything about Moscow? No, we’re going to Siberia, in winter. If I don’t succeed in my nefarious plan to sell you, a polar bear will probably eat the both of us. But again, I’ll try my best to broke a deal with that bear too, at least I’ll convince it to eat you first!
Solomon, I don’t want to kill you, AT ALL. I’m in love with your bald head and foul mouth.
Yekaterinburg? There offer good payed jobs for people from EU.
Does Yekaterinburg have polar bears? No? Then NO!
Putting Solomon in the same class as Deo Class is kind of ridiculous. Deo Class is frustrated like many of us.Remember what Syria was 8 years ago. A well enough secular peaceful country. For no reason whatsoever Syria has been reduced to ruins by the US and its terrorist, hundreds of thousands of its sons and daughters dead. So when Russia an ally of Syria tries to make deals of any kind with the same people that ruined Syria, this becomes a difficult pill to swallow.Hence the frustration..
While Solomons comments are just Russo-phobic nonsense..so dont compare the 2
I’m still not sure about Deo Cass because if one looks closely his posts are negative towards Russia. May be that’s just arrogance and inability to appreciate what is. In other words for some people glass is half full while for others it is half empty. In Deo Cass version of events Surya was doing well before Russia started making deals with archenemies. While fact is that Surya is doing well because of Russia, Iran and Hezballah and some others. Russia is playing the long run game and teaches Surya to do the same. One of important lessons Russia gave Surya – “If at all possible, fight them one by one. “Bite no more than you can swallow” and “How to eat an elephant – with a little spoon.”” That also means that one should allow adversary to bite more than he can handle and that’s the case with Kurds. Hurrying up on them will not serve Surya and that’s what Deo Cass is promoting. Working everywhere using 6th priority (instruments of war) is only serving the agenda of GP – “overpopulation is a problem” and next level down i.e. zio nazi are always happy when Goyim kill each other. Mother Russia is not Mother Theresa. Russia is much older and we’re not all white and soft. Country is only regaining its sovereignty (far from complete) after collapse of SU. Yet it appears to solve problems instigated by much wealthier countries – restoring peace and order where US/UK/Israel irregular armed forces were seeding destruction and chaos. How it is done with extremely little force involved? That’s the question that western think tanks are going crazy about. I would suggest we better wait and see. Making assessments before the end of war is unproductive and will lead us nowhere. Also, observing larger picture (larger than Surya and also larger “in time”) will be beneficial for everyone including Suryans.
Back to Solomon :) If Deo is simply arrogant “Russia is doing less than it can or does it in the wrong way” than he should do better and show to Russia how it is done. If Deo is consciously trying to blame Russia for US/UK/ISrael’s evil deeds than he’s the same as Solomon, just a different mask but that doesn’t matter.
“grinding urban warfare decided not by technology but by preponderance of food soldiers backed by brute firepower.”
food soldiers? I presume they mean foot? It’s the Yankistani forces that consider their indentured military slaves as food for the war machine, not the modern-day Russians.
Russia needs to be bold and face the illegal US/Zionist aggressors now on Syrian soil before they dismember Syria and soon after Russia itself. In Syria Russia has every legitimate right to defend the legitimate government from foreign aggressors and invaders of Syrian sovereign land. The US and co have no legitimacy whatsoever. The bear needs only to show its teeth. The US and co will have to back down as it did when Russia first came to Syria’s help back in 2015. It cannot afford to fight another illegal war against a sovereign UN member state without any justification. Historically it would put a permanent black historical mark on the US reputation.
Your right about Russia being in Syria for legitimate reasons. But there’s something you need to understand about the USA. The psychopathic powers that (shouldn’t) be absolutely WANT to start WW-III. They just need to get Russia and/or Syria to fire the first salvo. (For obvious reasons) Frankly, I’m amazed this proxy war has remained as such. Have had many sleepless nights thinking I would wake up to coffee & news of war, with Russia, or Iran, or Syria, or North Korea, or China. Damn. There’s just no escaping this shit!
the main priority of the Russians was to make sure that the legit government of Syria would remain in the game. how was that accomplished?by turning the main opossition groups (fsa etc) to ashes. fsa now is very willing to sit on the negotiation table. then focused on ISIS. took back 80% of SYria.no thats what i call a bargaining card…..now you have a government that controls almost all of Syria…..Assad is the main player. now when the war is over diplomacy will take its place and trust me, USA will make a run for it ,to catch up…..but they have already lost ,only the Kurdish puppets are in the game and i believe that their interests lie with Syria, not USA
assads position is still very weak. without euphrates, oil fields, idlib, with large pocket in homs, daraa and damascus city is very unstable situation. there is no money for the renbuilding of Syria. the territories, which took saa are not important for the future prosperity of the country. oil, gas, euphrates are the keys. and just these factors lost assad. washington won this war. they got the key positions in syria. the russian intervention has single one result: the dying of assads regime will lasted longer. but sure.
totally agree about the unstable situation….we see it every once in a while….fights erupt in areas ‘cleared’ or under seize fire agreements. as for the resources you are right that without oil Syria will be a country full of rubble. Russia cannot afford its reconstruction on its own. BUT. the war isnt over yet. The Kurds dont have a way to transport the stolen oil outside SYria. so its useless. the lands that they occupy are vast but have arab population only so they cannot keep them anyway. they are very few for that. So after the war is over we will see the deals made….and we will see who will win. The fact that Assad is still a player when everyone wanted him out since day one …i consider it a first loss for all powers that wanted to get rid of him…..but the game is stil on….lets wait and see …
Great report of the full spectrum of Russian support way beyond what most of us know and appreciate. This did not even mention the diplomatic/negotiation on the ground level with different tribes, the serious ground level intelligence. Since Russian military and diplomatic efforts are thoroughly planned I have complete confidence that there is very good reasons that we do not see the exact military maneuvers that we fantasize. Putin has been carefully establishing Russia’s reputation as both an effective military force and a nation that respects nations, people, peacekeeping, international law and diplomacy. He has had to carefully penetrate the thick skulls and thick propaganda of the West While knocking some sense into their underestimation of Russia’s military capacity – an underestimation that might leads to very poor decision-making. It is not all about battlefield. My deepest respect for Putin, Russian military leadership and the courageous and highly skilled men on the ground. You have done a terrific job. Salut!
@ghartwell : well spoken “There is very good reasons we do not see the exact military maneuvers that we fantasize “. So while emotionally in step with Deo Cass’s frustrations , logic however is in Putin’s actions. Putin as anyone , has no claim to infallibility , but because of a long term of power , has given Russia a huge lead in Conceptual Continuity . This stability of focus over time , combined with his Aikido training , knowing when to act , and when not to act , has helped Russia recover from a “nearly failed state” back into a world power . A world power with ethics . Salute to Putin , and all of Russia .
putin destroyed russias reputation; russia is not able to guarantee nothing. this is the clear message. also chinese laugh on russia. and putin dose nothing, he was not able to reform the economy, therefore russia is dying country, in 20 years russia must give up nuclear arsenal, becuse will have no money. also today you can see. 20% of russian units got new equipment, for the majority is no cash. look at UAVs after 20 years russia is 1 generation behing americans. so, i dont see the actual situation so pink as you.
Now if you want bull shit, sniff what you just wrote. Smells like it bro.
mugabe is your bro
Solomon – I would try some of what you are smoking, only I fear the brain damage that would result.
I see that quite a few people on this forum are disappointed in Russia’s performance, and seem to almost want a direct military conflict between the former & USA. As an American, I am grateful every day that Russia has been so patient with my country, despite the horrible things my govt’ has done… It seems like Russia & Syria are in the middle of a balancing act. Preserving the Damascus govt’ on one hand, and avoiding an all-out-war with USA on the other. Every time the U.S. and Israel attacks them they are casting a new set of bait into the water. What the American people don’t realize is that they’re fishing for Tigers & Nuclear Bears. We are all very fortunate that (so far) they’ve resisted the temptation to bite. There will be no winners in global war.
your problem is, that usa would not attack russia, if moscow would made statement that syria is russias partner and any attck to on syria is attack on russia. look at nnorth korea, how ylowly act yanks. and not beacuse of korean nuclear weapons. putin betrayed syrian people. i lived in warsaw pact, i saw the same ugly soviet politics. lies and lies and lies.
Please learn some proper grammar skills and use spell check if you want to be fully understood. If you’re old enough to have lived through the Warsaw pact then you should at least be literate by now. Just saying..
stupid people argues with language skills :DDDDDDDDDDDDDD
SUB-CIPHER – just ignore that crap. Some people are just very upset that Russia is a great power again and saved Syria from a fate worse than death. Which sends a rather worrying signal (if you are of a like mind to them) that other countries can rely on Russia to help stabilize a country against “terrorists”, not to mention supplying functional military gear. The world has turned upside-down in the last few years, and it has the US imperialists taking pills to sleep at night. The Russian government has done nothing “horrible” – on the contrary, they are now the undisputed military counter-insurgency kings of the world. Everything changes because of this – and with China as a backer on the UNSC, things will only get better.
Russians can take Berlin within 2-3 weeks. Basically nothing will stop them, if they decide to clean Europe from the American forces. EU needs Russia and Russia needs EU. Simple as that. USA has nothing to offer. Sorry.
where can i buy this PC game?
i totally agree with the article…..
with rtis?
Operations in Syria gave Russian Aerospace Forces the opportunity to test its ability to sustain a relatively high sortie rate over a prolonged period of time, rotate most of its aircrews through the theater of war, and also explore the strengths and limitations of its reconnaissance and target acquisition systems necessary to fully exploit the strike capabilities of its aircraft.
is it not true?they have fought a full campaign with a dozen aircrafts!!!
so, only egoistic reasons. nothing in favour of simple syrian people
no simple logistics….they cant afford a major campaign….helped them every way they could.
Roll on Syrian government coalition, roll on to complete victory in Syria over the evil Jew world order.
‘Russia – the hope of the world.’ (Famous US Psychic Edgar Cayce.)
Certainly starting to live up to this name. Not least in the Middle East.
Thank you President Putin.
The Greatest Scandal in US History! Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich. The last two minutes of the video is an ad. (Did you know there is a Canadian Clinton Foundation even more secret than the US Clinton Foundation?) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nbvMjNh4DU
Related to this topic, does anyone know the current size of the Syrian army vs. the size of the Iranian backed forces in Syria? The U.S. is claiming that Iran is the dominant military force. I sense that this is wrong but I don’t even have swag numbers.
there are no exact numbers. but be sure, iran is not the dominant force. several divisions are blocked in damascus and aleppo, another at homs pocket, daraa and latakia.
Let’s get the Obvious stated ….Without Russia’s Financial,Military gifts to Syria, Assad would be gone and Damascus some Takfiri hell world.
On a pure military expenditure/Tactical planning……Russia made some big mistakes which were known reality before they entered in in 2015. Syria’s Generals and Central Gov/Damascus left far to many military bases and arsenals in near in defence able positions. The majority should have been consolidated to more secure positions so that ISUS and Takfiri could not gain 100s of Tanks ,other mechanized and ammo. The Rust bucket smoking Aircraft carrier….. The money wasted on this show would have paid for 20- 30 Mi 35 attack Helicopters.. and more heavy lift helicopters.(military assets Syria really needed in the fast moving war) If Russia was unwilling to send in it’s own Airborne Divisions,….They could have/should have built something up from Iranian and SAA ….for Regiment to multi squad special forces incertion. The 2nd Fall of Palmyra is on Russia…..no way Sat coverage, Elint and other military assets in Russia’s possession = Palmyra debacle. ….which cost Syria about 1/2 a damn year to resolve. SDF gets Omar Oil field. ….because of Failure at Palmyra. It was obvious SDF would be used by US to hinder,extort,trick and steal from Syria. Russia knew this would occur,…..the campaign East of the Euphrates is now entangled with Russia having deconfliction agreement to not bomb SDF/US. Damascus now needs SDF to give back Tabqa Dam and everything else they just stole. I understand the majority reading do not like Russia being criticized for anything it does in Syria. The above are reasonable military indents which have impacted this war
I can’t believe some people are really delusional enough to think that Russia should have “taken on” the US, Turkey, NATO, Saudi Arabia, Israel, etc etc – therefore, I suspect that either they don’t really like the fact that Russia is helping the Syrian army win or they are deliberately trying to sow doubts. Or maybe there are far to many keyboard generals out there who don’t have the first clue about military and diplomatic strategy. I seem to recall that not one single world power had beaten ISIS until the Syrians got Russia’s help – even if you don’t think that’s impressive, believe me – the generals in Washington and Tel Aviv do, and they hate it.
There is more shooting going on in this thread than DE!!! :P
Some great commentary in here and Solomon…. you are being naughty!!! This stuff is cracking me up.
Okay, simply put Russia is doing dimensionally better than anybody onthe Occidental side could have imagined. Go Russia.