Source: twitter.com/mod_russia
Two Russian submarines, the Velikiy Novgorod and Kolpino, have fired seven Kalibr cruise missiles on ISIS targets east of the Syrian city of Deir Ezzor, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Thursday.
The cruise missiles were fired from submerged position in the Mediterranean Sea and hit targets located some 500-650 kilometers away.
The ministry said that the cruise missiles hit important ISIS targets, including “control centers, communications hubs, the militants’ weapons and ammunition warehouses in the ISIS controlled areas in the south east of the city of Deir Ezzor.”
On September 5, pro-government forces, supported by the Russian military, broke the 3-years-long ISIS siege on Deir Ezzor city. Since then, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and its allies have been working to liberate the ISIS-held part of Deir Ezzor city as well as the entire province from ISIS.
#СИРИЯ #ВИДЕО Пуски крылатых ракет «Калибр» по объектам ИГИЛ подлодками ЧФ из акватории Средиземного моря pic.twitter.com/cRBKSASPYX
— Минобороны России (@mod_russia) 14 September 2017
Missile strike east of Deir Ezzor against ISIS? Is this a message to SDF, since they are in eastern side of the Eufrates river close to Deir Ezzor? Why could not Russia “attack” ISIS/SDF positions east of the river unilaterally? What is US going to do about it? Russian forces are imbedded with SAA and allies on the western side of Euphrates preventing any direct attacks against them, while US SOF positions around Deir Ezzor are minimal. Russia could warn SDF to stay around Racca and allow SAA and allies to proceed east of Euphrates without any interference, otherwise they will be prone to missile strikes.
Maybe, as usual, Russia is playing the long game, by not trying to piss the Kurds off? As Westerners we are used to emotional driven knee jerk responses. We can’t show weakness, we have to do something, we have to send a message, won’t somebody please think of the children! The Russians seem far calmer. Always thinking more then one step ahead. They will pretend to ignore a jab or insult in favor of winning the game instead. They know that eventually the US will tire of the Kurds. Once ISIS is defeated what reason does the US have of sticking in a landlocked part of the Syria? Even if the Kurds grab the Deir Ezzor oil fields, where would they sell it too? And the Turks are spoiling for the moment that the US will leave so they can move in and crush the SDF.
The long game, that’s more of a Russian thing. Probably why they produced so many chess grandmasters.
The whole russian geopolitics (including involvement in Syria) and modernisation of the military is just a cover for a XXI-century type long game =)
Geopolitics (the “Big Game”) were a thing in XIX, then it’s significance decayed. XX presented a more complicated game of constructing and promoting your “world pole”. We russians haven’t buried The History yet, and so we prepared for the next iteration of the game, which will inevitably reach new level of complexity.
P.S. Really smart russians prefer Bridge or Weiqi (Go).
the only message it is is that a war with SDF and US is not expected.
Otherwise operational submarines in the Mediterranean would had preserved their cruise missiles and not fired them at ISIS.
I see this as a message to SDF to mind its own business and not impede the crossing of the Euphrates; ISIS on the eastern side of the river is impotent in helping the ISIS forces trapped around Deirdre Ezzor. Based on some info posted by somebody else about Maydeen being bombed for a possible crossing in the area, a southeastern pincer crossing Euphrates would outflank current SDF and ISiS positions and seal the border with Iraq, similar move a la al Tanf.
They’re across the river already behind enemy lines. They’re just not publicizing it. Once they get a bride open. Then the main force will cross and move the front lines forward.
That is good.
Why should they since they can be resupplied quicker than the US, which takes longer than you think for the US not so for the Russians. Those subs are probably going off station to be resupplied and being replaced with others, this just Russia giving their crews experience and training.
They can resupply at Tartus 24/7 a few hours from where they’re being fired.
air now undersea …. russians are on full alert … kudos to well thought strategies, superheroes
So the US-led Ziowahhabi terrorists now have their overt SDF and covert ISIS proxies in the area to hamper SAA advances. Whatever Russia and Iran are planning, they must take into account that rebuilding Syria is to cost money which they won’t have if they US terrorists keep capturing more land and resources for their proxies and machinations, if “our western partners” are so important then it must be time to cross th Euphrates south of where the US’ Kurd puppets are stealing land right now.
There are Syrian government coalition forward elements that have crossed the river by air and water who are calling in these missile and air strikes, dealing with Isis and the SDF, and preparing the battlefield for the main force to move the front lines to the other side of the river. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/51/MSST_Over_the_Horizon_Boat.jpg
Syrian Naval special forces is taking part in the DE operation 2 and working with the Russians, they don’t have many ships right now and Assad they would be good in DE, but these guys are very good.
Amphibious Russian BRTs exiting water: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/34/BTR-80_coming_ashore.jpg
Russian MI-26 https://www.armyrecognition.com/images/stories/europe/france/exhibition/paris_air_show_2011/pictures/Mi26T2_military_transport_helicopter_Russia_Russian_air_aviation_industry_001.jpg