FILE IMAGE: Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation
Russian military advisors are attached to nearly all units of Syrian government forces, according to the chief of the Russian General Staff, Army Gen. Valery Gerasimov.
Gerasimov said that “any military unit – a battalion, a brigade, a regiment, a division” has Russian military advisors and their assistants: intelligence and artillery specialists, military engineers, translators and other officials.
“We cooperate closely with the Syrian government troops, our advisors are attached to nearly all units,” Gerasimov said in an interview with the Komsomolskaya Pravda daily. “They, in fact, plan combat operations and assist in commanding those units while they fulfill their combat tasks. In all directions, those operations are a part of a single strategy, a single plan, guided from the grouping’s command center in Hmeymim.“
According to the general, the support to Syrian troops is one of the reasons to keep Russian military bases of Tartus and Hmeymim. Another important reason is to project the Russian influence in the Middle East.
“During those two years, Syrian army officers and non-commissioned officers have received great experience. Now they can successfully conduct warfare and defend their territory. Our forces deployed on our bases can render support if necessary. Those forces will be sufficient to maintain stability and territorial integrity of Syria,” Gerasimov said. “On the other hand, we should not forget that Russia has own interests in the Middle East.“
The chief of the general staff added that it will take some time to fully stabilize the situation in Syria and the presence of the Russian bases is necessary to prevent the scenario that took place until September 2015.
The analysis below was originally released by SouthFront in February 2016:
This goes against those who claimed everytime Russia withdrew some forces that Russia is abandoning the Syrians. Russian, Iranian, and Syrian interests in the region align closely.
Guess you buy everything they peddle even in psychological warfare. That would mean Russians are dying on the fronts. Where are the bodies?
Well this statement is a tacit warning to US that if they attack Syrian troops they are endangering Russian troops
…in advance of future conflict with Kurds or Al Tani
This is a clear warning to israhell to never attack the Syrian army in the south of the country,or anywhere for that matter,,or they will be dealing with Russian counter attacks.GREAT NEWS.
Great news indeed! May God bless SAA, Russia, Iran and Hezbollah for supporting this JUST WAR against EVIL.
Yes, a Russian ‘red line’.
Russian red line for Israel what a joke, Israel has paid as much notice of Russian threats and ultimatums as Erdogan did. Hundreds of Russian soldiers would die before Putin really did anything, and that would only be because Russian public opinion forced him to. Israeli jets will still continue to destroy targets in Syria, and unless Putin grows a backbone and has them shot out of the skies, they’ll continue to do so. Hurry up and grow a backbone you girly man Putin.
What a silly comment. Their goal is to bust up militants; infiltrate their organizational structure; and be the driving catalyst for peace & recovery of the country in as quick and most economic manner as possible. Engaging in more violence and kicking up dust would be completely the opposite of this objective.
If Russia had been anything close to a real ally of Syria it would never have gotten to this point. Russia should have intervened way earlier than it did with overwhelming force, but instead played the diplomatic game you seem to favour, and look where it’s got Syria, practically destroyed. I know there’s only one way to stand up to a bully and it’s never ever bending over for them.
How about we realistically clarify what Russia is actually doing and not doing in Syria. Russia is aiding Syria, by state to state invitation, in a conflict against a range of foreign backed, non-state, militant factions operating inside, and against, the Syrian state. However, Russia is not intervening in the ongoing frozen conflict between Syria and Israel that has remained unresolved since 1967, nor in the ongoing frozen conflict between Lebanese Hezbollah and Israel. These external regional conflicts are completely outside of the Russian strategic objectives inside Syria – to internally stabilize the Syrian state and security institutions inside Syria.
Lets clarify what’s really happening not talk like politicians Bob. Russia and Syria are allies, Russia and Israel are not. Iran and Russia are strategic partners on both an economic and a military level, the US and Russia are not.
Russia has a lot of influence on European politics due to it’s supply of natural gas and oil, as well as a very large and stable revenue for the country. The US and Israel enlisted Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey to build a pipeline direct to Europe to guess what, minimise Russian influence and revenue. Do you have any idea how disastrous that would be for Russia, and I mean totally disastrous.
As a consequence, Russia’s best option is to now help Iran implement it’s desire to build a pipeline through Syria and Turkey direct to Europe, thwarting The US and Israeli plans. This would be disastrous for the US and even more so for Israel, and they’re doing anything at all to stop it. Turkey and Qatar have already switched sides to Russia and Iraq is about to as well. This conflict is so much bigger than most people realise and it’s a fight to the death as far as Russia is concerned.
The conflicts you refer to as being external to Russian objectives in Syria may be partly true about the Syrian Israeli conflict, though that may change in the future, but as for the Iranian backed Lebanese Hezbollah conflict with Israel, you are totally wrong. This is now the most important external conflict concerning Russia’s strategic interests in Syria and it’s whole future depends on Iran and Syria prevailing, at least from my perspective.
The only players in this conflict that are truly concerned about stabilizing the situation in Syria are the Syrian people, all other players just want something.
Get a grip and live in reality, daydreamer. Israel is tacitly approved by the russians. There will never be a russian response to them.
YES ENTIRE MIDDLE EAST NEEDS MORE RUSSIA AND LESS USA/IZRAHELL!!