The owners of the fighting. Diplomats clarify who was killed by us attack
In the Syrian province of Deir ez-Zor on February 7 in fighting involving American aircraft killed several Russian citizens who participated in combat operations on the territory of the Republic. The figures refer to different sources of waste differ from each other considerably. The Russian foreign Ministry “Kommersant” reported that the Ministry verifies information about the presence of the victims, including citizens of the CIS.
The first information about the deaths of Russian citizens under the Deir ez-Zor appeared a few days ago, when several military sources, “Kommersant” reported that in addition to Syrian fighters near the former refinery, “al-ISBA” American aircraft fired on 7 February and Russians who fought on the side of government forces. Officially, the defense Ministry reported about 25 wounded Syrians, but Russian citizens are not mentioned. According to “Kommersant”, this is due to the fact that the military is responsible only for the actions of the personnel, and not for those who voluntarily took up arms.
According to Russian military sources, “b”, the cause of the incident in the province of Deir ez-Zor in the North of the country was the attempt by a local “big business, currently supporting Bashar al-Assad”, to capture oil and gas deposits under the control of the Kurdish allies of the United States.
To this end, in the offensive moved the Pro-government tribal formation, and the so-called hunting parties on ISIS (ISIS Hunters), reinforced by soldiers of the “PMC Wagner” was in the second tier. The impact of the U.S. air force and was subjected to artillery bombardment and those and others. The interlocutor of Kommersant says that the Russian commanders in Syria were not given approval to conduct offensive operations in the oil field, which was perceived as a “dangerous Amateur”. In an official statement the Ministry of defence said: “the Cause of the incident were not consistent with the command of the operational group of Russian reconnaissance and search actions of the Syrian rebels”.
A former colleague of several of the deceased 7 Feb fighters “PMC Wagner” told “Kommersant” that has already talked with the wounded eyewitnesses to the battle of Deir ez-Zor in one of the Russian hospitals. According to him, that day a detachment of PMCs exposed to fire, really, there were about 600 people armed with small arms and artillery and tanks. Most of the group consisted of Russian-speaking fighters, and only a smaller part was the so-called ISIS Hunters.
“In fact, it’s reinforced battalion, but in the “PMC Wagner” it’s called detachment. No MANPADS, no air support they had, and no it is not promised, — said the interlocutor of Kommersant. The whole calculation was the fact that after shelling our fast will storm the plant, the Kurds threw down their weapons. And the Americans will not be beaten when to start up melee.”
But by the beginning of hostilities to be deployed in battle order, only managed half of them. The rest of the PMC soldiers in armored vehicles lined up in convoy 8 km to the East from the demarcation line between Pro-government forces and the VTS.
Data about the losses vary greatly. Claims a Russian military source “b”, the number of dead Russians on 7 February amounted to 11 people.
Reuters reported that killed more than 100 “proasadovskih fighters”, two of which — Vladimir Loginov and Kirill Ananev — was originally from Russia. Bloomberg says the numbers are 100 dead Russians. CIT group called the four names of the victims. Edition Znak.com published an interview with the widow of one of the dead.
Several sources reported that the wounded were sent from Syria to Russian medical facilities, but in hospitals Vishnevsky, a name of Burdenko and the name Mandryka “b” is not commenting.
The publication of “hundreds of victims” is classic disinformation, which the Western media, told “Kommersant”, the Russian foreign Ministry: “Now check the information about the presence of the victims, including citizens of the CIS. If you receive confirmation, be sure to inform about them”. And the head of Department on public relations of the headquarters of the operation Inherent Resolve (“resoluteness”), which holds in Iraq and Syria group of countries led by the US, Colonel Thomas Fork said “Kommersant”: “We do not comment on the exact composition of the enemy forces who carried out an unprovoked attack on (supported by the United States.— “Kommersant”) “Syrian democratic forces””.
Russian legislation does not imply the presence of people who are not employed in the formal power structures, fighting on the territory of other States. The concept of “private military company” is still being debated by legislators. “These people, the state did not send. People going to fight for money as a mercenary, risking himself, who recorded in his contract with those who invited him. This is not a contract with the Russian government. The Russian government has no information about it”, — explained “Kommersant” scientific Director of the Institute of Oriental studies academician Vitaly Naumkin, the proviso that it does not have data about possible losses of the Russian Federation in recent U.S. attack in Syria.
“Yes, on the one hand, the government turns a blind eye to their presence in Syria, on the other, there is a law that needs to bring these people to justice. It is the mercenaries, and these people are not under the protection of the state, though the state is obliged to protect every citizen of the Russian Federation”, — the expert continues.
In his opinion, if in Syria as a result of the RAID Americans killed Russian military personnel, the reaction on the part of the Russian Federation “would have to be and would be very tough.”
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