http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/95971a4e-607d-11e5-a28b-50226830d644.html#axzz3mStfu4kN
September 21, 2015 9:08 pm
Russia to deploy 2,000 in Syria air base mission’s ‘first phase’
Kathrin Hille in Moscow and John Reed in Jerusalem
Russia is to deploy 2,000 military personnel to its new air base near the Syrian port city of Latakia, signalling the scale of Moscow’s involvement in the war-torn country.
The deployment “forms the first phase of the mission there”, according to an adviser on Syria policy in Moscow.
The force will include fighter aircraft crews, engineers and troops to secure the facility, said another person briefed on the matter.
The pair declined to confirm whether Moscow had sent surface-to-air missiles and fighter jets, as alleged by Washington at the weekend.
But Russian and western military experts said surface-to-air missiles were an integral part of the defences of any air base.
The comments are unlikely to allay fears in the US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isis), that Russia’s military involvement in Syria could escalate the country’s bloody civil war or risk incidents between Russian and other forces active in the country.
A Russian official on Monday dismissed as “disingenuous” comments by John Kerry, US secretary of state, that the presence of Russian air-to-air combat capacity and surface-to-air missiles in Syria “raises serious questions”, since the capabilities are of little military use against jihadi groups such as Isis, which is Moscow’s stated reason for its increased intervention in the Syrian conflict.
“You know as well as we do that anyone building an air base will put in such air defences, so there’s no reason to use this to cast doubt on our initiative to fight the Islamic State,” he said.
Three western defence officials agreed that the Russian deployment tallied with the numbers needed to establish a forward air base similar to those built by western militaries in Afghanistan.
Podcast
Benjamin Netanyahu is on a lightning visit to Moscow to discuss Russia’s military deployments in Syria in a sign of Israel’s growing unease over arms transfers in the region. Siona Jenkins talks to John Reed, Financial Times Jerusalem correspondent, about the Israeli prime minister’s concerns.
Fears that Russia’s ramped up military presence could further complicate the balance of forces in Syria prompted Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu to travel to Moscow for a meeting with President Vladimir Putin on Monday.
After the meeting, Mr Netanyahu told Israeli media that he and Mr Putin had agreed on a mechanism to co-ordinate the two countries’ military actions in Syria and prevent Israeli and Russian troops from accidentally exchanging fire.
“Israel and Russia share a common interest to ensure stability in the Middle East,” Mr Netanyahu said.
Mr Putin condemned attacks against Israel but said they were carried out by “internal elements” rather than the Syrian army, which he described as incapable of opening a new front.
“Our main goal is to defend the Syrian state,” Mr Putin said.
We must compromise with evil in Syria
Daniel Pudles illustration
Overriding goal must be to end the war and persuade outside forces to back a peace settlement
Read more
The Israelis have warned repeatedly about the transfer of what they call “game-changing” weapons to Hizbollah. The Iran-backed militant group — which supports Moscow’s ally, Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad — has shelled Israel in the past. Israel has targeted suspected weapons convoys or caches inside Syria in several unacknowledged air strikes since 2013.
In a sign of the risks this could entail, Moscow on Monday accused Syrian rebel forces of shelling its embassy in Damascus and demanded that their western and regional allies take steps to rein them in.
The Russian foreign ministry said a shell, which landed near its embassy on Sunday but caused no casualties, came from Jobar, which is held by anti-Assad fighters who were not allied with Isis and had “external sponsors”.
“We expect a clear position with regard to this terrorist act from all members of the international community, including regional players,” the ministry said. “This requires not just words but concrete action.”
It added that the fighters’ “foreign sponsors” were responsible for using their influence on “illegal armed formations”.
September 21, 2015 9:08 pm
Russia to deploy 2,000 in Syria air base mission’s ‘first phase’
Kathrin Hille in Moscow and John Reed in Jerusalem
Russia is to deploy 2,000 military personnel to its new air base near the Syrian port city of Latakia, signalling the scale of Moscow’s involvement in the war-torn country.
The deployment “forms the first phase of the mission there”, according to an adviser on Syria policy in Moscow.
The force will include fighter aircraft crews, engineers and troops to secure the facility, said another person briefed on the matter.
The pair declined to confirm whether Moscow had sent surface-to-air missiles and fighter jets, as alleged by Washington at the weekend.
But Russian and western military experts said surface-to-air missiles were an integral part of the defences of any air base.
The comments are unlikely to allay fears in the US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isis), that Russia’s military involvement in Syria could escalate the country’s bloody civil war or risk incidents between Russian and other forces active in the country.
A Russian official on Monday dismissed as “disingenuous” comments by John Kerry, US secretary of state, that the presence of Russian air-to-air combat capacity and surface-to-air missiles in Syria “raises serious questions”, since the capabilities are of little military use against jihadi groups such as Isis, which is Moscow’s stated reason for its increased intervention in the Syrian conflict.
“You know as well as we do that anyone building an air base will put in such air defences, so there’s no reason to use this to cast doubt on our initiative to fight the Islamic State,” he said.
Three western defence officials agreed that the Russian deployment tallied with the numbers needed to establish a forward air base similar to those built by western militaries in Afghanistan.
Podcast
Benjamin Netanyahu is on a lightning visit to Moscow to discuss Russia’s military deployments in Syria in a sign of Israel’s growing unease over arms transfers in the region. Siona Jenkins talks to John Reed, Financial Times Jerusalem correspondent, about the Israeli prime minister’s concerns.
Fears that Russia’s ramped up military presence could further complicate the balance of forces in Syria prompted Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu to travel to Moscow for a meeting with President Vladimir Putin on Monday.
After the meeting, Mr Netanyahu told Israeli media that he and Mr Putin had agreed on a mechanism to co-ordinate the two countries’ military actions in Syria and prevent Israeli and Russian troops from accidentally exchanging fire.
“Israel and Russia share a common interest to ensure stability in the Middle East,” Mr Netanyahu said.
Mr Putin condemned attacks against Israel but said they were carried out by “internal elements” rather than the Syrian army, which he described as incapable of opening a new front.
“Our main goal is to defend the Syrian state,” Mr Putin said.
We must compromise with evil in Syria
Daniel Pudles illustration
Overriding goal must be to end the war and persuade outside forces to back a peace settlement
Read more
The Israelis have warned repeatedly about the transfer of what they call “game-changing” weapons to Hizbollah. The Iran-backed militant group — which supports Moscow’s ally, Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad — has shelled Israel in the past. Israel has targeted suspected weapons convoys or caches inside Syria in several unacknowledged air strikes since 2013.
In a sign of the risks this could entail, Moscow on Monday accused Syrian rebel forces of shelling its embassy in Damascus and demanded that their western and regional allies take steps to rein them in.
The Russian foreign ministry said a shell, which landed near its embassy on Sunday but caused no casualties, came from Jobar, which is held by anti-Assad fighters who were not allied with Isis and had “external sponsors”.
“We expect a clear position with regard to this terrorist act from all members of the international community, including regional players,” the ministry said. “This requires not just words but concrete action.”
It added that the fighters’ “foreign sponsors” were responsible for using their influence on “illegal armed formations”.
