The Russian military conducted exercises with Syrian volunteer detachments for assault units. This was announced on Monday, February 14, by the Russian Ministry of Defense.
Syrians of completely different professions temporarily forgot about their civilian occupations and signed up as volunteers for assault battalions.
"Every Syrian must fulfill his duty towards his homeland. Yes, I'm not young. And I didn't think I would become a military man. But now everyone has to fight international terrorism," said Milad Muhammad, commander of the Syrian Army mortar company.
Volunteers need to deploy mortars in the field as fast as possible and make calculations. It is reported that Russian instructors have provided the Syrians with all the necessary equipment.
Brigadier General of the Syrian Army Ali Issa noted that thanks to Russian advisers, volunteers are transformed into the elite of the Syrian army, capable of performing any combat task.
Earlier, on February 11, in accordance with the appeal of the Syrian authorities, the command of the Russian Khmeimim air base organized round-the-clock patrolling of the seaport and the adjacent territory of the city of Latakia by military police units using Patrol and Tiger armored vehicles.
The military police has been carrying out combat missions in Syria continuously since 2015. She guards the Khmeimim airbase, the base of the Russian military in Tartus. Columns of armored vehicles under the flags of the Russian Federation patrol the most important highways of the country. It was thanks to the protection of the military police that it was possible to unblock the highways near Idlib, Qamishli, Deir ez-Zor.
Police patrols provide security at the most important infrastructure facilities in Syria, including the port of Latakia — the most important in Syria. The Syrian authorities have asked the Russian Federation to protect the port from a possible terrorist threat.
