Goal
Russian military aviation is increasing the pace of operations in the skies over Syria, says the official message of the Ministry of defense. Based on Hamim airbase near the Syrian city of Latakia grouping aircraft uses precision-guided munitions for attacks on the Russian court banned the “Islamic state” (IG), claim the military.
On Sunday, the defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov reported on 20 new missions bombers su-34, su-24M and su-25, tromboukis on ten objects of IG. For the previous 72 hour operation, the Russian pilots had completed 60 sorties, attacking 50 different objects, said in his speech to the media the chief of the Main operations Directorate of the General staff of the Russian Armed forces Colonel-General Andrey Kartapolov.
The last order of Russian aviation, according to official data of the Ministry of defense, became the objects on the territory of the province of Idlib (within 70-80 km from the air base) camp terrorist training and workshop for manufacturing improvised explosive devices, including Islamist suicide bombers, in the area of Kisljuk, control unit with a warehouse near the town of Maarrat al-nu’man, as well as three warehouses with the weapon and stocks militants and four command post in the area of Jisr al-Shughour. Another objective was “the center of special training of militants” near the town of Al-Tabka in raqqa province — the stronghold of ISIS.
Near Maaret-EN-Noumena and Kalajoki was used modernized Soviet su-25, proven in Afghanistan, with unguided high-explosive bombs. Near Jisr al-Shughour and in raqqa, along with an upgraded Soviet front-line bombers su-24M (in service since 1983) has been used and the latest Russian su-34 (based in Latakia in September were seen six). Unlike the su-25 bombers su-24M and su-34 was used during the raids, high-precision and more powerful weapons — guided aerial bombs KAB-500 bombs and that…. BETAB-500, and a rocket X-L class “air — surface” with laser guidance (in service since 1980). As a result strikes have managed to bring down five armored vehicles and destroy fortified buildings of the militants, depriving them of stockpiling weapons.
Around Maaret-EN-Nouman and Jisr al-Shughour in Idlib province Russian pilots regularly beaten for three days. In addition, during this time they managed to attack the object of militants near Khan Shaykhun (between the cities of Hama and HOMS) and al-Latama in the province of Hama.
Military space forces of Russia also round-the-clock use over Syria means space, airborne and other intelligence, official says the defense Ministry spokesman Konashenkov.
Results
The Russian General staff believes that air strikes against the Islamist positions were able to break the control system and infrastructure group, reducing their fighting potential. “Our intelligence records that the militants to leave areas under their control. In their ranks began to panic and desertion. About 600 of mercenaries have left their positions and trying to get to Europe”, — said the representative of the General staff Colonel-General Kartapolov.
According to him, the Russian aviation intends to continue increasing the intensity of impacts. During contacts with the US to avoid any unwanted incidents recommended by the American side “to withdraw from the region all instructors and advisors, as well as those valuable employees that are prepared to money the American taxpayers.” “By the way, the Americans notified us in the course of these contacts that anyone other than terrorists, in this region”, insisted in his speech Kartapolov. He also added that the international information center of the coordination Committee of Russia, Iraq, Iran and Syria in Baghdad is open to anyone interested in the fight against the terrorist group ISIS.
In the West, continue to suspect Russia of attacks on the moderate opposition. On Thursday The Wall Street Journal reported that CIA-trained rebels came under Russian airstrikes. On Sunday Reuters with reference to local al-Mayadeen TV reported that under the blows of Russian military aircraft in Idlib province were the rebels of the opposition Army of conquest. The strikes targeted “centres of congregation leaders and operatives” in the province of Jisr al-Shughour and in the area of mount Zawiya, says the TV station. 2 October USA, UK, France, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey has extended the statement in which has demanded from Russia to stop airstrikes on the opposition in Syria and to switch to IG.
Efficiency
Air operation abroad without using its own ground contingent is a unique war in the history of Russia, says military expert Victor Murakhovsky. According to him, if Russian pilots will continue to intensify with frequency 18-20 times a day, before offensive operations of troops of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is still far. The number of terrorists in Syria opposing the government, estimated to number about 120 thousand people, and to influence the course of hostilities, you need to hit not just dozens, but thousands of goals, agreed in his blog, political scientist and expert on the Syrian conflict Anatoly Nesmiyan. “The militia is not the army, Central supply does not exist, and therefore no large warehouses, bases, command posts, the destruction of which might seriously complicate the life of the enemy on a fairly large area,” he says.
The coalition led by the US for 420 days own air operations against ISIS has caused, according to calculations of independent civil project Airwars, more than 7 thousand strikes in Iraq and Syria. Of them in Syria — more than 2 thousand It is still 40 times more than had Russian aircraft. However, a significant difference between the actions of Russia and the United States, according to Murakhovsky, is the interaction of Russians with the regular forces of the Syrian army. “Even the U.S. with its allies, even with the government of Iraq cooperate very poorly, perceiving them as quite younger brothers,” explains Murakhovsky. According to him, this leads to “collateral damage” — the deaths of civilians, destruction of civilian infrastructure and much less effective strikes against the terrorists.
Sources: Institute for the Study of War, the air force, the defense Ministry.
