Earlier on Wednesday, Secretary of State John Kerry told the United Nations Security Council that while the United States would not keep Russian Federation from targeting ISIS posts or Al Qaeda forces, the officials firmly believe that further airstrikes would only be patting Syrian President Bashar Assad on the back and would result to additional problems.
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Prima in the day, Putin formally beseech approval from the upper house to send “contingent of Russian Armed Forces” outside Russian territories “in line with universally recognized principles and global laws”, according to an online announcement publish by the Kremlin.
In Moscow, Putin said Russian air strikes in Syria would be limited in scope and that he hoped Assad was ready for political reform and a compromise for the sake of his country and people.
USA intelligence has observed the possible staging of multiple rocket launch systems at Russian ports, which could be loaded onto ships bound for Syria. “They want to finish any presence of the opposition in Homs to secure the coast maybe”, said an FSA-affiliated rebel commander in Rastan.
Carter said the Russians’ stated intent to fight ISIS and their actions striking non-ISIS targets in order to bolster Assad were “contradictory”, but did not outline any steps beyond the talks.
The head of Syria’s main opposition group accused Moscow of aiming to support Assad’s regime and killing 36 civilians in the central province of Homs.
The official said the US had no intention of preventing the strikes but that Russian planes didn’t seem to be flying in areas where the USA was operating.
Syria and Russian Federation have established a coordination center in Hamah province, though its goal remains unclear, officials said.
“It is obvious the Russians didn’t come to Syria to fight ISIL, they are coming to support the regime”.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said claims of civilian casualties were part of an “information war… which, it appears, someone prepared well”.
Kerry also said the U.S.-led coalition would “dramatically accelerate” its efforts.
President Vladimir Putin said Russian warplanes struck positions belonging to Islamic State (IS) militants just hours after the parliament in Moscow unanimously voted to authorise military action. “Second, this will be air support without any participation in the ground operations”.
The US official who spoke on condition of anonymity said there were no conflicts with the Russian strikes, and they had no impact on coalition missions, primarily in the north and east.
“We certainly are not going to plunge head-on into this conflict”, he said.
The two leaders clashed over the survival of Assad, with Mr Putin arguing he was the best defence against IS and the militants while Mr Obama insisted that ultimately he would have to go as part of any political settlement.
He called for “urgent clarification” from Moscow about its targets in Syria. IHS Jane’s, a leading defense research group, said last week that satellite images of the base showed 28 jets, including Su-30 multirole fighters, Su-25 ground attack jets, Su-24 bombers and possibly Ka-52 helicopter gunships.
He put the death toll from the Russian air strikes at 50 civilians, including children.
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Putin’s strategy in Syria could bring bloody blowback at home, said Andrew Weiss, an analyst at the Carnegie Endowment for worldwide Peace.
