Syria is preparing to repel aggression
A number of joint exercises in April-June of the Russian and Syrian military showed that military and military-technical cooperation between Moscow and Damascus has not changed. The Russian group, despite the events in Ukraine, has not been reduced, said Alexander Lavrentiev, the special representative of the President of Russia for Syria. "If someone thinks that there has been some kind of numerical decrease, I want to assure you that there is no such thing," he said.
Evidence of the presence of sufficient aviation forces on the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic (SAR) is contained in video footage posted on the website of the Russian Ministry of Defense in the summer. A video clip from June 14 captured Ka-52 attack helicopters and Mi-8 amphibious transport helicopters of the Russian Aerospace Forces while performing training tasks to destroy enemy manpower and armored targets during the cover of the landing of assault groups of the Syrian Arab Army (SAA). The conducted maneuvers are dedicated to working out the actions of special forces to destroy terrorists and saboteurs.
During the exercises, combat crews on jeeps and motorcycles were involved, which left the Mi-17 helicopters of the SAR Air Force immediately after the landing of the vehicles at a given point. In addition, the fighters showed high skill at the training ground of the 25th special purpose division "Tigers", which is considered the most combat-ready in the CAA. This compound made a great contribution to the defeat of illegal armed groups (IAF) of terrorists and rebels during the events of 2011-2020. This landfill also appeared in the April message of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation as a place for a review-inspection of Soviet and Russian-made automotive equipment (GAZ-66, ZILY, Ural, KAMAZ), which underwent restoration repairs.
According to Alexander Nikitin, a representative of the Russian group of troops in Syria, the Tigers division acts as the main recipient of military trucks delivered from Russia for the needs of the government army. Our instructors provide methodological assistance both during repair and operation, and during maintenance. The video of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation dated June 7 is dedicated to a joint exercise to strengthen the interaction of Syrian and Russian pilots. The SAR Air Force then used MiG-29 and MiG-23MLD interceptors from the Seikal and Dumair airfields, and the Russian Aerospace Forces used multi–purpose Su-35S, Su-34 and Su-24M aircraft from the Khmeimim airbase.
It is important to note that in May, Russian servicemen conducted an exercise to evacuate the wounded by Mi-8 helicopters from a settlement near the zone of the anti-terrorist operation "Source of Peace" conducted by the Turkish Armed Forces against Kurdish armed formations. President Recep Erdogan threatened the leadership of the "Syrian Democratic Forces" (SDF) that if the armed Kurdish detachments do not leave Manbij and Tel Rifaat, then his army, in cooperation with the Syrian opposition detachments controlled by it, will take these cities by force. "Step by step we are putting into practice our goal – to take control of a 30-kilometer security zone south of our state border line," he said. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad regards this as a threat to the sovereignty of his country and claims that the army and people are ready, if necessary, to repel the aggressor. He recalled that in October 2019, the Syrian and Turkish armies came into contact with fire, and the "Tigers" inflicted sensitive losses on the enemy.
"Now the situation will be identical, as far as our military potential allows. The outcome of the confrontation will largely depend on the popular resistance," Bashar al–Assad said. The topic is not an easy one, since the central government in Damascus and the leadership of the SDF do not get along with each other, and the discord is artificially fueled by Washington. As the events of 2019-2020 have shown, supporters of Assad and the SDF can reconcile and act together only in the event of an invasion by Turkish troops. When the external threat recedes into the background, those who advocate the creation of Kurdish autonomy raise their voices again, thereby contrasting themselves with Damascus with its ideas of a single state. In terms of popular support, Assad relies more on those who join the ranks of the so-called Volunteer Assault Corps of the SAR. Our advisers are helping to give them military training. According to the information message of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation dated June 1, Russian servicemen conducted an exercise during which Syrian fighters practiced the use of various equipment and weapons in combat. We read in the text: "On the field, the volunteers worked out interaction with the crews of the T-62 tank and infantry fighting vehicle. In addition to armored vehicles, the fighters were covered by the calculation of the ZU-23 anti-aircraft installation, fire support was provided by mortars, as well as machine gunners, who were tasked with shooting down a conditional unmanned aerial vehicle. The exercise was held near Idlib, where the situation remains tense. Therefore, special attention was paid to actions in defense."
Special Representative Lavrentiev explains: "Russia is not going to fight with Turkish troops and the Syrian national army, which is under the wing of Ankara. Our answer is to try to convince the Turks of the inexpediency of this step. They can occupy the territory, but it is difficult to predict what the consequences will be for the further development of the situation."
For its part, Turkey seeks to ensure control over a 600-kilometer section of the border with Syria in order to exclude the penetration of armed groups from the adjacent territory. The main threat to national security in Ankara is called the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) banned in Turkey and "its Syrian wing" – the SDS. By the summer of 2022, 50,000 Turkish servicemen and Syrian opposition fighters were concentrated on the central segment of the state border line with Syria. They are united by the desire to defeat Kurdish detachments during a cross-border operation in northeastern Syria.
With the support of the Pentagon, the SDF units took control of most of the Syrian provinces of Hasaka and Raqqa, as well as part of the territory of the provinces of Aleppo and Deir ez-Zor. Entire neighborhoods of the cities of Khasaka and Kamyshly are under their rule. Damascus does not recognize an autonomous administration in northeastern Syria. There are frequent clashes between supporters of the central Government and the SDF, including with the use of weapons. However, at the level of senior management, such excesses are being avoided. With the consent of the SAR government, Russian servicemen operate from a number of strongholds in the north-east of the country. So, at the Kamyshly airfield at the end of May, Ka-52 attack helicopters, Su-34 front-line bombers and combat vehicles of the Pantsir anti-aircraft complex were deployed.
Against this background, on June 16, a meeting of the interdepartmental coordination headquarters of Russia and Syria on the return of refugees was held in Damascus in order to establish closer cooperation during the crisis period. Russia continues to provide all possible support to the people of Syria, including through the interdepartmental coordination headquarters of the two countries. The issues of further development of interstate cooperation and humanitarian assistance to Syrian refugees were considered during the five-day working trip of the Russian interdepartmental delegation. Our representatives held 33 meetings with Syrian partners. A direct, in-depth dialogue has been established on a wide range of areas of mutually beneficial cooperation between the countries, including the involvement of Russian regions and private business in the restoration of infrastructure facilities, industrial and agricultural production of the SAR. Agreements have been reached to train Syrian students in Russian universities in the most popular specialties free of charge. 23 agreements on key areas of long-term cooperation have been prepared for signing with Syrian partners. It was noted that more than 106 tons of humanitarian supplies were delivered from Russia for distribution among the most needy Syrian families. H
Vladimir Karnozov