“Experts say the timing for it was chosen very well in terms of weather”, a forecaster said in a segment aired on Rossiya 24 while standing in front of a screen showing an image of a bomber with the words “flying weather”.
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According to the AFP, a forecaster this week on Russian TV brought up the weather in Syria to explain how it is “ideal for carrying out” operations, flanked by a giant graphic saying “Flying Weather”. “Russian air operations in Syria are continuing”. She promised that after rainstorms later this week, the weather will be mostly clear and “ideal for military flights” for the rest of the month.
This is not the first time the network has discussed the forecast in the context of military entanglements overseas.
It is believed Russian Federation has flown more than 100 sorties over Syria since the beginning of its aerial campaign last week.
“In these meteorological conditions, planes can dive below the clouds and conduct effective strikes on ground targets, and only climb higher if there’s active anti-aircraft fire”.
Russian support for the country’s intervention in the Syrian conflict has been gaining support, but western governments have urged restraint after news that opposition groups to President Assad were being targeted as well as so-called Islamic State.
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Russia’s weather has been known to play politics in the past, with TV channels moving quick to include Crimea in daily forecasts after it was annexed by Moscow in March previous year. On October 1, the channel hit headlines after adding Syria to its forecasted cities as if it was just another Russian region.
