Contents tagged with Syria

  • Lavrov: Russia and Turkey agreed on joint operation in northern Syria

    Russia and Turkey agreed to prepare an operation against the militant group al-Nusrah Front, in the Syrian region of Idlib, together with forces of the Syrian President, Bashar Assad, stated the Russian Minister of Foreign Affair, Sergey Lavrov, TASS reports. “I very much hope that our partners in the West will indulge in provocations and dramatizations, and will not oppose the antiterrorist operations in the de-escalation zone against the al-Nusrah Front,” he said.

    Idlib, a refuge for …

  • Kremlin: Russia uses anti-drone systems in Syria

    The Russian Silok-01 and Zhitel anti-drone systems which were used in soccer stadiums during the FIFA World Cup 2018 have been put to use in Syria, press service of Russia’s Central Military District reported.

    According to Central Military District Commander Lieutenant-General Alexander Lapin, the anti-drone systems “have successfully proved themselves during the operation in the Syrian Arab Republic”.

    The systems were presented to the chiefs of general staff of the Shanghai Cooperation …

  • Turkish media: US plans to create no-fly zones in Syria

    The US has built three advanced radar systems in northern regions of Syria, as well as deployed mobile and stationary radar facilities, writes the Turkish newspaper Yeni Safak citing former commander of the Military Assembly of Deir ez-Zor Fayez Esmer. According to him, in the future, the US plans to create an “air defense shield” in the region.

    The publication also says, without specifying a source for the information, that the US “has already started creating a no-fly zone in northern Syria” …

  • Merkel and Trump urged Putin to influence Assad

    German Chancellor Angela Merkel and US President Donald Trump had a telephone call conversation, during which they discussed the situation in Syria,reported the representative of the German government Steffen Seibert.

    It is noted that Germany and the United States share a common concern in connection with the humanitarian crisis in the Idlib region, as well as the movement of government forces on the holdings of Islamist and jihadist groups in this province.

    Merkel and Trump "called on Russia …

  • Syrian army prepares for an air strike by the United States

    The Syrian air force was brought to full combat readiness throughout the country. The highest level of readiness was announced because of a possible air strike against Damascus by the US, reports news agency Al-Masdar News, referring to a source at the Mezzeh airbase (southwest of the Syrian capital).

    Earlier, the official representative of the Ministry of Defense of Russia, Major-General Igor Konashenkov said that the United States continues to build up military forces in the Middle East. …

  • Russia transfers new weapons to Syria ‘because of US activity’

    The Russian Defense Ministry has transferred anti-air systems to the Khmeimim airbase, the newspaper Kommersant writes, citing a source. According to Kommersant, after the US-led coalition’s previous strike, a Tor-M2 missile system battery has been deployed at the Russian airbase, in addition to the previously deployed anti-air defense systems.

    In addition, the flotilla of Russian warships in the Mediterranean Sea has also been enlarged. On August 25, the frigates Admiral Grigorovich and …

  • Russia considers deploying nuclear weapons in Syria

    The United States has crossed a “red line” in its relations with Russia, and the President should consider an asymmetric response – terminating the treaties with Washington on nuclear missiles, and deploying tactical nuclear weapons abroad, e.g. in Syria, stated  by Vladimir Gutenev, first deputy chairman of the Russian State Duma committee on economic policy, innovative development and entrepreneurship, to TASS.

    According to the MP, such a step would “not only offset sanctions, but also deal …

  • Russia warns the US and its allies against 'reckless steps' in Syria

    Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, commenting on the Bloomberg publication that if Syrian government troops would use chemical weapons, the United States is ready for a missile strike on Syria, warned Washington and their allies against "new reckless steps." The government official informed RIA Novosti.

    Ryabkov remarked that in Moscow, "they hear Washington’s ultimatums, including public ones." However, the Deputy Head of the Russian Foreign Ministry assured that this "does not …

  • Putin invites the president of Finland for a ride on his yacht

    After the official part of talks by both sides, Presidents of Russia and Finland, Vladimir Putin, and Sauli Niinisto continued the conversation in an informal atmosphere: the Russian leader invited his Finnish colleague to take a boat trip on the presidential yacht Chaika, reports Interfax.

    According to the agency, the presidents departed on the yacht from the port of Sochi to the marina in the Imereti Lowlands. Their conversation was in English without the use of an interpreter.

    The official …

  • Germany rejects Putin’s request to help restore Syria

    The German Government believes that it is premature to raise the question of providing assistance for the reconstruction of Syria because a political truce must first be established there, said Steffen Seibert, spokesman for the Federal Government and head of the Federal Press Office on Monday, August 20.

    “The German federal government does not believe that the problem of Syria’s restoration should be addressed immediately’, dpa news agency quotes Seibert as saying.  He added that the Syrian …