Inland action
Moscow announced a large-scale military exercises Navy and air force off the coast of Syria.
Upstairs
The Ministry of defence of the Russian Federation on Thursday, August 30, announced that on 1 September in the Mediterranean sea will be held joint exercises of the Navy and the military space forces of the Russian Federation. Deputy foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said that they have no relationship to the next aggravation of the situation in Syria. However, Kommersant’s sources in the military authorities were given to understand that starting maneuvers are a response to US actions, increasing their striking power in the region. According to the head of the Russian foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met Thursday with his Syrian counterpart, caused a lot of problems in Syria is the American military presence.
Squadron out to sea
As reported by the defense Ministry, the exercises will be held from 1 to 8 September in the Mediterranean sea. A Russian group “will be worked out the complex tasks of air defense and against underwater threats and sabotage defense, and mine security.”
The maneuvers will involve 25 ships and approximately 30 aircraft VKS RF, to regulate the operation of which will be Navy commander Admiral Vladimir Korolev. According to the Agency, the event, headed by the missile cruiser “Marshal Ustinov” will be attended by the ships of Northern, Baltic, black sea fleets and the Caspian flotilla and the aircraft long-range, military transport and naval aircraft. The exercise will involve the strategic missile carriers Tu-160 cruise missiles X-101, anti-aircraft Tu-142MK and Il-38, su-33 and su-30CM Navy (which, according to “Kommersant”, will perform combat training tasks, carrying out flight from the air base Hamim).
Deputy foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov gave to understand that he is not inclined to associate the teachings with the situation in Syria, although in recent days she had become increasingly tense in preparation for the Syrian army offensive in Idlib province:
I do not think that doctrine can somehow be associated with Idlib. I heard about the plans of our military exercises. In any case, Idlib is not located on the Mediterranean sea.
However, according to a source “” in military authorities, these exercises can be seen as a response to US actions in the region, which proves, in particular, the presence in their problems of the item on the defense against underwater threats. It is associated with the presence in the region at least two us submarines Ohio class and Virginia, able to launch a missile strike on Syria. The defense Ministry stressed that in the interests of ensuring Maritime safety and aircraft operations areas of the exercises will be declared dangerous to shipping and flights. Civilian planes will have to fly around the area of the exercises or use for the passage of “window”, free from firing.
For its part, the press Secretary of the Russian foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova said on Thursday that Moscow was concerned about the concentration in the Mediterranean sea large groups of troops of the Western countries. According to her, the United group of the United States, France and the UK “has about 70 native speakers, about 380 cruise missiles, air-based, and two American destroyers, USS Carney and USS Ross, each of which has 28 Tomahawk missiles on Board.” At the same time, said Maria Zakharova, in the Mediterranean sea in one of the daily transition group of the missile can be enhanced by two more destroyers of the US Navy, USS Donald Cook, and USS Porter, who is now based in the Spanish city of Rota, as well as submarines.
In the Red sea during the same period can go for a strike on Syria, the destroyer with guided missiles USS Jason Dunham and USS Sullivans in the Persian Gulf is to return to the line of attack.Maria Zakharova, press Secretary of the Ministry of foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation
In sum, according to the press Secretary of the foreign Ministry of the Russian Federation, to Syria from different parts of the region are able to reach the 112 Tomahawk missiles.
Meanwhile, on 25 August, the defense Ministry said about preparing provocations in Sarakibe (Idlib). According to information obtained by the office from the centre of reconciliation of the warring parties in Syria, at the warehouse in this city delivered a large number of toxic substances, the application of which will be blamed Syrian government forces, and the organization “White helmets”, has repeatedly found Russia in fraud, will distribute relevant videos and photos to the whole world. We will remind, last week the assistant to Donald trump’s national security, John Bolton pledged that the US will strike at Syria missile strike in case the government army used chemical weapons.
However, according to senior researcher of the American research Center of the Navy of the United States (CNA) Dmitry Gorenburg, Moscow misjudged the steps of Washington in the region. “No matter what the forces that can be concentrated there, he said in an interview with “Kommersant”.— The intent does. Now the United States withdraw from Syria, the forces and means, and to assume that Washington is in this situation will go to a sudden attack, it would be strange.” Mr. Gorenburg said that now about the strategy in Syria at the White house, there are serious disagreements: Donald trump wants to minimize American involvement in the conflict, but many members of his team believe in the necessity of its continuation.
Moscow calls for cooperation
American presence in Syria was on Thursday in the center of attention and the talks of foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Syrian counterpart Walid Muallem. At the meeting with journalists, the Ministers recalled the impending in Idlib provocation with chemical weapons. Walid Muallem gave new details of the plan of terrorists, accusing the White helmets in the kidnapping of 44 children in Idlib province “for the organization of production with chemical weapons.” Both Ministers believe that the re-enactment himataki want Western countries as a pretext for attack on Syria and the salvation of militants “dzhebhat an-Nusra” (banned in Russia). “We are with the facts on the table through our Ministry of defense, Ministry of foreign Affairs clearly and firmly warned the Western partners that they do not play with fire,” — said Sergey Lavrov.
The Russian Minister called on Western partners to combine efforts in order to return Syria to peace, and not to engage in “unilateral geopolitical projects”. In Moscow, they understand not only provocative statements in the address of Damascus, and the plans for a strike on Syria, but also the refusal of the United States and other Western countries to participate in the implementation of the Russian plan for Syrian refugees return home, which among other things provides funding for the reconstruction of infrastructure.
The West does not want to participate in the establishment of peace under the control of the territory of Damascus to the full political settlement in this country, by which they understand the removal from power of Bashar al-Assad. The United States actively promoted the restoration of civilian facilities on the Eastern Bank of the Euphrates. This area holds the Power of a democratic Syria with US support. In case of successful implementation of the plans of Damascus to recapture Idlib province from terrorists and opposition armed groups in the areas of basing of us troops in Syria will remain the main area outside the control of the Syrian authorities.
“Our American colleagues are engaged in active construction of the Eastern Bank of the Euphrates, restore the infrastructure, economic networks and even create quasi-public local authorities, said on Thursday Sergei Lavrov.— It is fraught with attempts to divide Syria, that is absolutely unacceptable and a gross violation of the decisions of the Security Council”.
Sergey Lavrov recalled that the United States has not kept its many promises to leave Syria. Instead, they are, in his words, “each time they found additional excuses to stay there”. The Russian foreign Minister has again urged the United States to work together in Syria. “Unilateral action — a way in anywhere”, — he stressed.
Michael Korotkov, Marianna Belenkaya, Ivan Safronov
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