Russia sends flying hospital to Syria
In the sky near the Syrian city of Latakia, witnesses saw an Il-76MD “Scalpel-MT” flying military hospital. On January 3, photographer Ahmad Alfarwi posted a photo of the aircraft on his Facebook page.
The only airport near Latakia is Khmeimim in Syria, which has been a Russian airbase since 2015.
The flying military hospital has reanimation, operating, consulting, and diagnostic units, as well as ultrasound equipment, an X-ray machine, an electrocardiogram lab, and a blood lab. If necessary, an intensive care unit with places for 6-10 patients can be set up. The hospital is designed to operate independently for 14 days of continuous work.
The Russian media reported the alleged “actual destruction” of seven Russian military aircraft at the Khmeimim Airbase on December 31, but the Defense Ministry said that two soldiers were killed as a result of mortar shelling by a mobile subversive group of militants.