Russia to send marines to Syria

Associated Press ^ | Jun 18, 2012 | By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV

[robowombat]

MOSCOW (AP) — Two Russian navy ships are completing preparations to sail to Syria with a unit of marines on a mission to protect Russian citizens and the nation's base there, a news report said Monday. The deployment appears to reflect Moscow's growing concern about Syrian President Bashar Assad's future. The Interfax news agency quoted an unidentified Russian navy official as saying that the two amphibious landing vessels, Nikolai Filchenkov and Caesar Kunikov, will be heading shortly to the Syrian port of Tartus, but didn't give a precise date. The official said the ships will carry an unspecified number of marines to protect Russians in Syria and evacuate some equipment from Tartus, if necessary. Each ship is capable of carrying up to 300 marines and a dozen tanks, according to Russian media reports. That would make it the largest known Russian troop deployment to Syria, signaling that Moscow is becoming increasingly uneasy about Syria's slide toward civil war. Interfax also quoted a deputy Russian air force chief as saying that Russia will give the necessary protection to its citizens in Syria. "We must protect our citizens," Maj.-Gen. Vladimir Gradusov was quoted as saying. "We won't abandon the Russians and will evacuate them from the conflict zone, if necessary." Asked whether the air force would provide air support for the navy squadron, Gradusov said they will act on orders.

[robowombat]

As another poster pointed out Russia and Turkey no loner have a common border so any Russian action against Turkey is largely limited to air and naval. Russian naval presence in the Black Sea is much less than before the breakup of the USSR. This article seems to be careful not to mention where these ships are deploying from and how long it will take to be present in Syrian waters. Perhaps because they are coming from the Baltic or Murmansk.

[drypowder]

Mmmm, Russia supports Syria militarily and the US supports Turkey in a US induced conflict. That will make the military industrial complex happy.

[SomeCallMeTim]

yes... things are getting interesting in that area. Wars have started in that region before.

Not hard to believe that Russia and Iran might see a shooting war as an ideal chance to take control of Eastern Turkey and Northern Iraq... and, of course... all the nice oil property between Russia and Turkey.

What WOULD we do to stop them??

Nothing... and, they know it.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

I can only assume our Commander in Chief is golfing.

[meatloaf]

The ships are part of the Black Sea fleet based in Sevastapol, Ukraine. Russia has an arrangement with the Ukrainians to still use the base. I’m not aware of any shrinkage in the fleet. After the breakup of the USSR there was a lot less money for the military. That why you don’t see much Russian naval activity in the Med.

The recent trip to the Med by the heavy cruiser/carrier Admiral Kutsenov and her escorts with a visit to Tartus did originate from a northern port.

[justa-hairyape]

We did stop the Russians in Georgia. But that required a planeload of nation leaders to arrive in Tbilisi to stop the Russian advance. We no longer have such leaders. The US and Europe are fiscally imploding right now. We will be busy just saving our own cities from the rioting mobs.

[JimSEA]

Another part of the run up to WWIII? Hot damn, I’m going to Cappadocia!! (to plagiarize Country Joe - it doesn’t have the pizazz of the original but neither does life these days)

[SomeCallMeTim]

pretty smart analysis from a damned dirty ape. ;-)