There were moments when the USA and Russian Federation worked together to get rid of Syria’s declared stockpiles of chemical weapons and to discuss plans for a political transition.
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Two USA officials separately confirmed the information.
And as The Daily Beast’s Michael Weiss points out, any antiaircraft missiles deployed by Russian troops in Syria won’t be directed at ISIS, since ISIS has no air force.
The Israeli source said the Russian activity was not aimed at Israel. In the ensuing chaos of proxy wars, more than 300,000 people have died, a crippling refugee crisis has grown, and the most brutal Islamist terrorist group, Islamic State (IS), has been provided a breeding ground.
Moshe Yaalon said the Russians in recent days dispatched military advisers as well as an active force, with the main goal of setting up an air base.
For the United States, Russian Federation and many other countries, including Iran (Assad’s other major ally), defeating the Islamic State, ministering to the millions of Syrians forced from their homes and salvaging what is left of the Syrian state should be shared goals. Sources told Reuters that Russian troops are now directly engaged in combat operations to support President Bashar al-Assad’s regime. Ultimately, this could indeed lead to a regime change, but one which installs ISIS outright, and further strengthens the group the United States insists is their primary enemy in this increasingly complex war.
Lavrov said at a press conference that the onus was on Washington, which Moscow blames for derailing military-to-military communications between Russian Federation and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation after the invasion of Ukraine, to restart communications – or face “undesired, unintended incidents” in and around Syria.
Russia’s defence ministry said the navy held drills in the Mediterranean in May, June and August.
Syria’s conflict began with anti-government demonstrations in March 2011.
Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov stressed that Russian Federation sees Syrian government forces as the only ones capable of fighting Islamic State, adding that it is Russia’s mission to support them.
Western and Arab countries have backed demands from the Syrian opposition that Assad must leave power under any negotiated settlement. “That’s our goal”, he said, adding: “This is going to be a long discussion”.
Now there are reports that Russian Federation is setting up a military base in Latakia, on Syria’s coast.
U.S. officials say they do not know what Moscow’s intentions are in Syria.
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“We have open relations with the Russians who have come to save Assad in the civil war. However, if its sovereignty is violated on the Golan Heights or advanced weapons are transferred to Hezbollah in Lebanon, we will act”. “We are following the developments and keeping open channels with Moscow“.
