Russia Considering Course Change After New Challenges In Syria

[The Prof]

a military transport went down last week, killing all 39 aboard, including a general, a colonel and 6 majors

jaish al islam claimed victory, russia blamed the pilot or the plane

putin's plans are all unraveling, starting in east ghouta, suburb of damascus

his tactics to date have been 3: de-escalation zones, use of pmc private military companies, and engagement with opposition groups

"but these efforts are no longer producing the kind of results moscow wants"

on february 7, US and syrian forces attacked and killed 300 russian mercenaries near deir el zor

With just nine days until the presidential election in Russia, such moves are largely perceived as a product of “American efforts to poke Putin in the eye,” but a bigger worry in Moscow is how far it can all go before endangering Russia's efforts in Syria.

A Kremlin official who spoke with Al-Monitor not for attribution said there’s “clear evidence” the United States seeks to make things more complicated for Russia.

The United States has "lost the military struggle in that the opposition groups they vetted failed to topple Assad militarily," the official said. "So they are now fully investing in all kinds of initiatives to bar us from any success we could have achieved in the political settlement. They themselves have proposed nothing constructive on how to navigate out of the crisis."

Earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov voiced a similar concern, saying, "The United States and other Western countries would want to take the heat off" Jabhat Fatah al-Sham and other radical groups to keep using them against Assad.

Russia considering course change after new challenges in Syria

thus, "there's a mutually recognized need to maintain constant communication between moscow and washington on these issues... yet, so far, such communications apparently haven't satisfied moscow's concerns"

"moscow already appears to be shifting its military and diplomatic strategies, russia's defense ministry plans to make use of the 'gray zone,' that cold war-like area between peace and conventional warfare."
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In the Syrian conflict, the tables have been turning quickly. The sense that things aren’t working out properly is strong in Moscow, with even staunch advocates of Russia’s Syria policies now wary and calling for policy updates. Moscow has been cautious not to take any radical steps before the March 18 election day to dodge possible risks. But Russia's plans to amend its strategy are underway and will have been implemented once Putin receives his fourth-term mandate.

make of it what you will

stay tuned

 

[Saladin4]

a military transport went down last week, killing all 39 aboard, including a general, a colonel and 6 majors

jaish al islam claimed victory, russia blamed the pilot or the plane

putin's plans are all unraveling, starting in east ghouta, suburb of damascus

his tactics to date have been 3: de-escalation zones, use of pmc private military companies, and engagement with opposition groups

"but these efforts are no longer producing the kind of results moscow wants"

on february 7, US and syrian forces attacked and killed 300 russian mercenaries near deir el zor

Russia considering course change after new challenges in Syria

thus, "there's a mutually recognized need to maintain constant communication between moscow and washington on these issues... yet, so far, such communications apparently haven't satisfied moscow's concerns"

"moscow already appears to be shifting its military and diplomatic strategies, russia's defense ministry plans to make use of the 'gray zone,' that cold war-like area between peace and conventional warfare."
​

​

make of it what you will

stay tuned

Always good to see a Russian plane crash and burn

 

[Erod]

a military transport went down last week, killing all 39 aboard, including a general, a colonel and 6 majors

jaish al islam claimed victory, russia blamed the pilot or the plane

putin's plans are all unraveling, starting in east ghouta, suburb of damascus

his tactics to date have been 3: de-escalation zones, use of pmc private military companies, and engagement with opposition groups

"but these efforts are no longer producing the kind of results moscow wants"

on february 7, US and syrian forces attacked and killed 300 russian mercenaries near deir el zor

Russia considering course change after new challenges in Syria

thus, "there's a mutually recognized need to maintain constant communication between moscow and washington on these issues... yet, so far, such communications apparently haven't satisfied moscow's concerns"

"moscow already appears to be shifting its military and diplomatic strategies, russia's defense ministry plans to make use of the 'gray zone,' that cold war-like area between peace and conventional warfare."
​

​

make of it what you will

stay tuned

Holy moly, a Prof sighting! Where have you been? Love your posts and style.