Russian Troops in Syria: A Myth or Reality?

• 09.03.2015, 15:49
•  Near East,  World

Media discusses the news about Russian troops’ involvement in the Syrian conflict. Western and Israeli news agencies referring to their anonymous sources reported that Russia sends military troops to Syria. According to the news, these troops should be deployed at airbase area near Damascus controlled by the Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime.

It is also noted that in the upcoming weeks thousands of Russian soldiers are to arrive in Syria, among them pilots, technicians of air defense forces. It is expected that the Russian troops will participate in Assad’s regime fight against the so-called "Syrian opposition" and radical groups, especially the Islamic State.

The Russian side rejected such statements. "This information should not be trusted," RIA Novosti quotes the Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov’s words.

However, media continues discussions that started in the mid-August, when Turkish media reported that the Syrian government has received six MiG-31 aircrafts from Russia. According to the news, Syria has ordered eight MiG-31 aircraft as part of a wider military deal with Russia in 2007. However. Russia rejects this.

It is not excluded that this discussions started due to the fact, that in September Russia has taken its turn in the presidency of the UN Security Council and said is going to take efforts to solve the Syrian crisis. In particular, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov hosted in Moscow the so-called "Syrian opposition" delegations and discussed possible ways of solving the conflict. Russian President Vladimir Putin in his turn suggested creating the anti-terror front with the participation of all countries involved in the crisis. At the same time media reported that Russia is making efforts to promote dialogue between Assad’s regime and Saudi Arabia.

In general, during the five years of the Syrian conflict Russia has reportedly announced about the inadmissibility of interference in the internal affairs of Syria. This means the military involvement contradicts the spirit of these statements. At the same time, there has been no major breakthrough in the Syrian crisis which could cause the Russian military intervention.