Status Report:
- 15 Russian Antonov-124 flights have unloaded cargo
- 7 Advanced Russian tanks
- 15 fresh artillery pieces
- 35 armored personnel carriers
- Housing for up to 1500 troops
- Advanced anti-aircraft missile system
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“Russia is not concerned for ISIS or Syria”
Business Insider Reports:
“Moscow will reportedly provide Russian troops in Syria with an advanced anti-aircraft missile system as part of its military support for Syrian president Bashar Assad.
“This system is the advanced version used by Russia and it’s meant to be operated by Russians in Syria,” a Western diplomat who is regularly briefed on U.S., Israeli and other intelligence assessments told Reuters.
And as The Daily Beast’s Michael Weiss points out any anti-aircraft missiles deployed by Russian troops in Syria won’t be directed at ISIS, since ISIS has no air force.
In fact, none of the rebels do — only government forces have access to aircraft.
Russia has substantially increased its military presence in Syria over the past two weeks under the guise of helping the embattled al-Assad fight ISIS and other extremists.
US Airforce cites ‘alarming strides’ in Russian air-power.
Reuters reports:
A U.S. Air Force general on Monday cited what he called “alarming” moves by the Russian military to beef up its air forces in the years since the invasion of Georgia in 2008 and to establish firm defenses around areas like Crimea.
General Frank Gorenc, commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe, told reporters he was concerned about Russia’s moves to increase the quantity and quality of its aircraft and field unmanned aircraft.
“The advantage that we had from the air, I can honestly say, is shrinking,” Gorenc said at the annual Air Force Association conference.
Russia launches massive military drills at home involving 90,000 troops.
Yahoo Reports:
Russia on Monday launched its largest military exercises of the year, Centre-2015, involving some 95,000 soldiers including ground troops, navy and airforce units.
The long-announced war games are “the most large-scale drill of 2015,” the defence ministry said.
Russia has recently intensified snap checks of its military might, testing its capabilities from the Arctic to the Far East as relations with the West have plunged to a post-Cold War low over the Ukraine crisis.
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