Posted on 01/04/2018 11:56:57 PM PST by NorseViking
The Ministry of Defense confirmed that the Russian airbase Khemeymim in Syria before the New Year was subjected to mortar shelling. The saboteurs attacked from the de-escalation zone, and the air defense system could not protect the airmen.
Mortar shelling
On Thursday, January 4, the Ministry of Defense reported the death of two Russian servicemen during the shelling of the military base of Khmeimim near the New Year. "December 31, 2017 with the onset of the dark time, the airfield Khmeimim was subjected to a sudden mortar shelling of the mobile subversive group of militants. As a result of the shelling, two servicemen were killed, "the ministry said ( quoted by TASS ).
The first about the attack on the base of Khmeimim on Wednesday, January 3, was reported by Kommersant business daily referring to its own military-diplomatic sources. According to the publication, as a result of the attack by radical Islamists, the Russian military lost four Su-24 bombers, two Su-35S fighters and an An-72 transport aircraft. As a result of hitting a mortar shell, an ammunition depot was blown up, the interlocutors of the newspaper added. Also, the sources of Kommersant said that because of the attack on the base, more than ten military men could be injured.
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After the publication of Kommersant, the Conflict Intelligence Team (CIT) in the Telegram Channel noted that no group had taken responsibility for what had happened in the last few days. The CIT added that none of the local residents published a video or photo of the results of the shelling of the Russian base, although so far "photos of the consequences of incidents near the air base of Khmeimim quickly found themselves uploaded by servicemen in social networks."
The source of RBC in the Ministry of Defense said that during the attack one helicopter and SU-24 were damaged. "The shelling was conducted using the MLRS [rocket launcher systems] rounds from the de-escalation zone, the mortars were working from the zone under the protection of Syrian troops. Two of the dead are helicopter pilots, "RBC's anonymous source in the Defense Ministry said.
According to him, the duty around the base was organized "as expected" despite holidays. "Air defences intercepted rockets, but mortar rounds - it's almost impossible to knock them down. [The consequence of the attack will be] a complete mop operation of the area and expansion of the [protected] zone [around the base]. When they shoot in the back, you are not always ready for it, "the source said.
Risks of Sabotage
A source in the Defense Ministry told RBC that the attack was on the part of the Front-Al-Nusra organization (banned in Russia). The base could have been shelled by supporters of the Front-Al-Nusra terrorist group, which are concentrated in the Syrian province of Idlib, agrees the editor-in-chief of "Arsenal of the Motherland", Victor Murakhovsky.
According to the expert, behind the attack on Khmeimim was not a "powerful group", but a small sabotage group. "This is one, a maximum of two cars, in the back of which is installed a Soviet 82-mm mortar. Such mortars supplied to Syria during the Soviet Union in the hundreds, if not thousands, "- said editor of " Arsenal of the Motherland " to RBC. In his opinion, the fire attack could last about 1-1.5 minutes from a distance of up to 3 km, and 30-40 minutes could be fired from two mortars at the airfield. "Such mines are one of the most dangerous ammunition for unarmored combat equipment. For a minute they fired, put the mortar into the body, rolled it up with a tarpaulin and went off, "Murakhovsky explained. The air defense system did not detect mines because of their small size, unlike reactive unguided projectiles, the expert added.
Murakhovsky estimates the number of remaining militants in Syria in 2,5-3 thousand people. The question remains who should be considered terrorists in Syria, since "this is a very stretchable concept," said Alexander Khramchikhin, deputy director of the Institute of Political and Military Analysis, RBC. "Tens of thousands of people are enrolled in groups opposing Bashar Assad," he said.
The military columnist for Novaya Gazeta, Pavel Felgenhauer, believes that after a sabotage attack at the Khmeimim air base, construction will begin to strengthen its defenses. "The aircraft were in open territory, the personal in frame homes. That and some treason from Syrian comrades which is a given in such places".
The base must be equipped with underground caponiers to protect equipment and people. The base Khmeimim was originally a civil airfield, which was quickly turned into a military airfield, "he argues. According to Felgenhauer, the long perimeter of the Khemeymim base is guarded by the Syrian authorities, and this creates a big problem, because "nobody loves Russia in Syria", resistance to the Bashar Assad regime will continue, and all this creates serious difficulties for long-term basing in a hostile territory. "Probably, they [the Syrian authorities] will find someone and demonstratively hang it, but that does not mean anything," the expert concluded.
Shortly before the attack on Khmeimim, in mid-December, President Vladimir Putin, during a visit to Syria, ordered the withdrawal of Russian troops from the country. Later in the Federation Council, explained to RBC that, in the republic there will remain Russian bases, including the air base of Khmeimim. Expert Khramchikhin believes that all public statements about the entry and withdrawal of the Russian group from Syria are "propaganda", since the strength of the group depends on "necessity", not on official statements.
Since the beginning of 2017 in Syria, 131 Russians were killed, Reuters reported last October. Some of them there are military servicemen, sources of the agency said.
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Wow, big hit on the Russians in Syria. They admit to losing seven aircraft, so it is probably worse. They only had like 30 in Syria.
It would not be prudent to put more expensive aircraft back into that base, until they can prevent that kind of mortar raid from occurring again.
Many of their other facilities might be vulnerable to this new kind of attack as well.
If the Iranian regime falls, and the Russians suddenly have to pull their horns in, Assad might be retiring to Sochi after all.
“” “” The next day, the Defense Ministry called the message of “Kommersant” about the “actual destruction” of seven Russian military aircraft at the airbase Khmeimim “fake”. “” “”
Can’t believe anything, until it has been officially denied...
I managed to find two pics by base employees on social networks. One is a bomber with right stabilizer broken and another with a hole in a fuel tank. Doesn’t seem like major damages but who knows.
There was some discussion of this raid on the John Batchelor radio show tonight (I think it was Malcolm Hoenlein). Without being too specific, he implied that it was a significant blow.
As predicted, legit non terrorist protest against Assad will be repressed and thus joining militants and terrorists released by Assad will be the only option, just the way Chechens were sabotaged who had zero whahabists and zero Al Qaeda before the FSB stepped in because Chechens notoriously detest these backward muslim arabs
Chechens are a thing in themselves. They are good at barbarism without outside expertise and if you think their Salafist Islamism is any less dangerous think twice.
GCC
I suspect the terrorists will think a bit harder before trying that kind of stunt again, at least after they get a taste of Russian ‘mopping-up’ activities.
But the attack is fake...
The weapon behind attack on the Russian airbase in Syria identified
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/bloggers/3619626/posts
Russia wants a permanent naval base in Syria. Good luck with that.
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