Russia Begins Operations in Syria: End Game for the US Empire?

No more BS from the deep state pure and simple. LIKE.

Russia has fitting response to any US attempts to exert pressure on it - Foreign Ministry
April 15, 15:18 UTC+3
The arms race in the world has become a dangerous reality, Vladimir Yermakov said

MOSCOW, April 15. /TASS/. Russia has an opportunity to come up with a fitting response to any US attempts to exert pressure on it, Director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Non-Proliferation and Arms Control Department Vladimir Yermakov said on Sunday at the Assembly of the Council for Foreign and Defense Policy.

"Now, in 2018, we can now see that the military-technological balance has radically changed in Russia’s favor," the diplomat stressed. "We have a fitting response to any US attempts to exert pressure on us".
The arms race in the world has become a "dangerous reality" today because of the actions by Western countries, Yermakov added.
"The current situation is characterized by the shrinking space for constructive interaction at an unprecedented scale. The principal cause is unwillingness by the US and its allies to recognize the objective realities of the emerging polycentric world order," the diplomat noted.

"The awaremess (by Western countries - TASS) of the impossibility to extend the period of their unilateral domination in global affairs provokes nervousness and leads to such inappropriate actions as sanctions, coercion and unethical inter-state behavior. All that leads to growing tensions in inter-state relations," the diplomat stressed. "From this perspective, the arms race, is, of course, a very dangerous reality rather than bluff. It has a substantial subversive impact on the global stability and international security.".

Arms Control

Yermakov added that new legally binding international arms control agreements are hardly possible in the foreseeable future.
"The only valid legally binding international obligation in disarmament is Article 6 of the Non-Proliferation Treaty," Yermakov said. "We can hardly count on something more in the foreseeable future".
According to Yermakov, the existing legal arms control regulations no longer suit the US, hence its attempts to undermine the existing agreements. "The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty) is called into question, there is an uncertainty with the prospects for the treaty on strategic offensive arms. The threat of the emergence of weapons in outer space is becoming increasingly more evident. The Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty has no chance of coming into force, while the Biological Weapons Convention has been deadlocked," Yermakov stressed.

He also expressed the view that the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty stands no chance of coming into force.
"The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty) is called into question, there is an uncertainty with the prospects for the treaty on strategic offensive arms. The threat of the emergence of weapons in outer space is becoming increasingly more evident. The Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty has no chance of coming into force. The Biological Weapons Convention has been deadlocked," Yermakov said describing the situation in arms control.

New START Treaty

One can talk about the possibility of extending the New START Treaty, which came into force in 2011 and was expected to be in effect for ten years only after the US fully complies with the provisions of this treaty, Director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Non-Proliferation and Arms Control Department Vladimir Yermakov said on Sunday at the Assembly of the Council for Foreign and Defense Policy.
"It will be possible to discuss whether it can be extended only after they return to fully complying with the letter and spirit of the treaty," he said.

List of Protests Against Syria Bombing in Next 7 Days in Dozens of US Cities - SHARE!
Below is a list of local emergency actions compiled by Women’s March on the Pentagon in response to US military aggression on Syria. If you are planning or attending an action that is not listed below, please email us to submit your event. US wars of aggression must end now! Click on the location to find the Facebook event pages for each action.

Saturday, April 14
Washington DC: 12:00 PM, White House
Atlanta: 12:00 PM, Little 5 Points Square
Los Angeles: 5:00 PM, Pershing Square
Detroit: 12:30 PM, Campus Martius Park (800 Woodward Ave, Detroit, Michigan 48226)
San Diego: 5:00 PM, Horton Plaza Park on Broadway
Fayetteville, AR: 1:00 PM, Corner Of Dickson St. And West Ave.
Champaign-Urbana, IL: 5:00 PM, West Side Park
Philadelphia, PA: 1:00 PM, Dilworth Park (1 S 15th St, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19102)
Boston: 4:30 PM, Dudley Station Historic District (Washington St, Boston, Massachusetts 02119)


Sunday, April 15
New York City: 2:00 PM, Herald Square (34th St. & 8th Ave.)
Oakland: 11:00 AM, Lake Merritt Amphitheater (12th Street & Lake Merritt Blvd.)
Minneapolis: 1:30 PM, Hennepin Ave. & Lagoon Ave.
Las Vegas: 1:00 PM, Las Vegas Federal Courthouse (333 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas, Nevada 89101)
San Antonio: 2:00 PM, 615 E Houston St.
El Paso, TX: 2:00 PM, San Jacinto Plaza
Austin: 1:00 PM, Texas State Capitol (1100 Congress Ave, Austin, Texas 78701)
Durham, NC: 3:00 PM, 117 Market St, Durham, NC 27701
Asheville, NC: 2:00 PM, Pritchard Park (4 College St, Asheville, North Carolina 28801)
Seattle: 1:00 PM, Westlake Park (401 Pine St, Seattle, Washington 98101)
Nashville: 3:00 PM, Davidson County Courthouse (1 Public Sq, Nashville, Tennessee 37201)
Boston: 4:30 PM, Dudley Station Historic District (Washington St, Boston, Massachusetts 02119)
Dayton, OH: 3:00 PM, Courthouse Square (23 North Main St. Dayton, OH 45402)
Mobile, AL: 3:00 PM, Spanish Plaza (401 Government St, Mobile, Alabama 36602)
Fort Lauderdale, FL: 3:00 PM, U.S. Federal Courthouse (299 E Broward Blvd, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301)
Palmdale, CA: 6:30 PM, Poncitlan Square (38315 9th St East, Palmdale, California 93550)
Cleveland, OH: 1:00 PM, Public Square


Monday, April 16
Boston: 6:30 PM, Roxbury Crossing
Newark, NJ: 4:00 PM, 465 Dr. Martin Luther King Blvd, Newark, NJ 07201
Cincinnati, OH: 4:30 PM, John Weld Peck Federal Building (550 Main St, Cincinnati 45202)
Spokane, WA: 4:45 PM, Division and Main
Binghamton, New York: 1:00 PM, Binghamton University (4400 Vestal Pkwy East, Binghamton, New York 13850)


Tuesday, April 17
Chicago: 6:30 PM, UIC Taft Hall (826 S Halsted St, Chicago, Illinois 60607)
New York City: 6:00 PM, NYU Kimmel Center (60 Washington Sq S Rm 405, New York, New York 10012)
Johnson City, TN: 5:00 PM, Founders Park (225 S. Commerce Street, Johnson City, Tennessee 37601)


Wednesday, April 18
Tallahassee, FL: 5:00 PM, Integration Statue (75 N Woodward Ave, Tallahassee, Florida 32304)
Saturday, April 2 18
Chicago: 12:00 PM, Michigan Ave. & Congress Pkwy
Grand Rapids, MI: 5:00 PM, Calder Plaza (300 Ottawa Ave NW, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503)
Sunday, April 22
Potsdam, New York: 1:00 PM, Potsdam Post Office
 
Last edited:
Apart from the fact that I like Roger Waters a lot, I'm so glad when someone with so many followers says something like what he said, just because the truth has a few more chances to be heard. The video was also posted here, btw ;-)
:oops: I had searched for "Roger Waters white helmets" in the forum search engine, and as I didn't find it, I posted it ... thanks Yas, and much agreed with you, that while more messages such as these spread, much better to counteract the disinformation of the mass media that is really schizoid and coarse.
 
Russia tells it like it is and points their finger at the bully: Russia Accuses US of Attempts to Undermine OPCW Authority

Russia Accuses US of Attempting to Undermine OPCW Authority Amid Douma Probe

The US is attempting to undermine the work of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) that was set to start the probe into the alleged chemical weapons attack in Douma the same day, the US, the UK and France launched a missile attack on Syria.

"The US tries to undermine the credibility the Fact-finding mission in Syria even before it arrives at Douma. Russia confirms its commitment to ensure [safety] and security of the mission and will not interfere in its work," the Russian embassy in the Netherlands said on Monday.

The OPCW will hold a special session on Monday, discussing the recent escalation of the situation in Syria.
Last Saturday, the United States, France, and the United Kingdom launched strikes on a number of targets in Syria in response to an alleged chemical attack in the Damascus suburb of Douma.

(...) Following the accusations, the Syrian government has strongly denied being behind the alleged attack and stated that the missile strike was "brutal aggression."


As Joe said in his interview with Sputnik: 'Was The Cold War Never Really About Communism?' Joe Quinn on Russia-West Relations -- Sott.net

In my opinion the most appropriate response from Russia would be to continue to challenge the US and British anti-Russian narrative with the truth and to continue doing what it has been doing - asserting itself and expanding its influence around the world, or even increase the tempo of that because it seems that is seen as a real threat by the Anglo-American establishment.
 
So, it seems that the Israelis were angry because the FUKUS strikes were such an epic failure and decided to attack Syria again. As usual, it is unconfirmed that they did it, but... who else then? The US has already denied they did it.

State media reports Syrian air defenses respond to missiles over Homs province

Syrian air defense systems have been activated in response to a missile attack apparently targeting Shayrat Airbase in Homs province, state media SANA reports.

Up to 10 missiles were destroyed by the Syrian Armed Forces, a military source told Sputnik. The Syrian air defenses managed to intercept some of the projectiles, according to a SANA reporter. Meanwhile, the Al Mayadeen news outlet is claiming that all the projectiles were intercepted and inflicted no physical damage or casualties at the targeted Syrian base.

The Pentagon has denied initiating strikes or conducting any other military activity in Homs province. "There is no US military activity in that area at this time," the Pentagon's spokesperson told Reuters. The same information was also shared with TASS news agency by Pentagon spokesman Eric Pahon.

The raid in Homs countryside reportedly coincided with another missile attack against a military airbase near Damascus. According to various Arabic media channels, three missiles targeted Al Dumayr airport, but they were all allegedly downed by the Syrian air defenses.

According to yet unconfirmed reports, the missiles entered Syrian airspace from Lebanon, which may indicate that the Israeli Air Force could have been involved, Al-Masdar News reports, citing a military source. The outlet's reporter also published several videos allegedly showing the launch of interceptor missiles.

Full article on SOTT, here.
 
17/04/2018 - Breaking: Syrian air defense fires missiles at suspected Israel warplanes in eastern Damascus
Breaking: Syrian air defense fires missiles at suspected Israel warplanes in eastern Damascus

Minutes ago, unknown warplanes entered Syrian airspace from Lebanon, raising the Syrian Air Defense’s alert levels,
a military source told Al-Masdar News.
According to the source, the Syrian Air Defense fired several missiles at these suspected warplanes in the eastern part of Damascus.

The source added that the Syrian military believes these are Israeli warplanes, as they entered from Lebanon’s Beqa’a Valley. Below is a video taken by Al-Masdar’s Ibrahim Joudeh in rural Damascus:


17/04/2018 - Breaking: Syrian military confirms Israeli missiles targeted airbase in eastern Homs
Breaking: Syrian military confirms Israeli missiles targeted airbase in eastern Homs

The Syrian military announced at approximately 1:10 A.M. (Damascus Time), the Israeli Air Force fired several missiles towards the Shay’rat Airbase and its surrounding area in the Homs Governorate.

According to the statement, the Syrian Air Defense managed to intercept several of the missiles, but there was no mention as to whether or not the Israelis scored any direct hits.

According to the statement, the Syrian Air Defense managed to intercept several of the missiles, but there was no mention as to whether or not the Israelis scored any direct hits.

This attack by Israel tonight marks the second time in seven days that they have targeted the eastern countryside of the Homs Governorate. No further details have been released.


17/04/2018 - Update: Syrian state media reports 9 Israeli missiles intercepted
Update: Syrian state media reports 9 Israeli missiles intercepted

The Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported tonight that the Syrian Air Defense managed to shoot down at least nine Israeli missiles in the eastern countryside of Homs.

According to the SANA report, the Israeli missiles targeted the Syrian military’s positions Shay’rat Airbase, which was the target for the U.S. strike last year.

However, a source from the Syrian Army told Al-Masdar News that the likely target was actually the T-4 Military Airport, as several explosions were heard in that area. More details to come…


17/04/2018 - Israeli missiles target military base allegedly filled with Russian soldiers: unconfirmed
Israeli missiles target military base allegedly filled with Russian soldiers: unconfirmed

The Syrian Air Defense has downed three Israeli missiles over the strategic Dumayr Airbase in eastern Damascus, Al-Mayadeen News reported tonight.

According to a field source in Damascus, the targeted Dumayr Airport is allegedly filled with Russian military personnel that recently held reconciliation talks with the rebel forces in the area.

No one appears to be harmed, as no missiles landed on the Dumayr Military Airport. Al-Masdar has reached out to a Syrian military source at the Dumayr Airport to confirm.


16/04/2018 - Pictures: Syrian Army seizes hundreds of mortar shells at recently discovered Jaysh al-Islam ammo factory in east Damascus
Pictures: Syrian Army seizes hundreds of mortar shells at recently discovered Jaysh al-Islam ammo factory in east Damascus

On Sunday, the Syrian Army uncovered a huge ammunition factory in Damascus’ East Ghouta region that had been built and operated by Jaysh al-Islam prior to the militant group’s recent ejection from the area.

Within the factory, Syrian security troops found many hundreds of homemade mortar shells of different calibers in various states of completion – mostly just missing their explosive filler (obviously for safety reasons).

The factory was located in the district city of Douma – Jaysh al-Islam’s former east Damascus stronghold and the last location from which the rebel group was removed.

According to Al-Masdar News journalist Ibrahim Joudeh, tens of hidden weapons and ammo storage sites once used by Jaysh al-Islam within Douma are yet to be discovered. He added that the process of doing this will likely take weeks.


16/04/2018 - VIDEO: Biggest rebel tunnel in Douma exposed
VIDEO: Biggest rebel tunnel in Douma exposed

The Syrian Army has uncovered the biggest tunnel used by Jaysh al-Islam rebel group in its stronghold of Douma after the city had completely fallen to the government troops.

The tunnel, located under the National Hospital with several branches, is supported by metal pillars and equipped with electricity, rooms, parking lots and all kinds of supplies.

The 15-meters deep tunnel took nearly 2 years to be completed, said one of Douma residents who accompanied the camera crew.

Huge quantities of weapons, underground artillery and workshops were discovered in the network of tunnels.

Last Saturday, the Syrian Army officially declared the city of Douma fully liberated after the last batch of militants left to Syria’s north as per an evacuation deal with the Syrian government.
 
17/04/2018 - Israeli missiles target military base allegedly filled with Russian soldiers: unconfirmed
Israeli missiles target military base allegedly filled with Russian soldiers: unconfirmed

The Syrian Air Defense has downed three Israeli missiles over the strategic Dumayr Airbase in eastern Damascus, Al-Mayadeen News reported tonight.

According to a field source in Damascus, the targeted Dumayr Airport is allegedly filled with Russian military personnel that recently held reconciliation talks with the rebel forces in the area.

No one appears to be harmed, as no missiles landed on the Dumayr Military Airport.
Al-Masdar has reached out to a Syrian military source at the Dumayr Airport to confirm.
Hmmm, do I am mistaken thinking that the Russian army may take this attack has a direct attack from Israel, and not just "colatteral damage" ?
Well, I'm pretty sure that they know who is their real (or main) enemy, and how vicious they can be...

Cf. Mossad's former motto, be-tachbūlōt ta`aseh lekhā milchāmāh (Hebrew: בתחבולות תעשה לך מלחמה‎) : a quote from the Bible (Proverbs 24:6): "For by wise guidance [or stratagems] you can wage your war" (NRSV).
 
Regarding Israel, there's this interesting tidbit from yesterday's analysis of the Russian defense ministry detailing the performance of the Syrian defensive weapon systems:

Briefing by Russian Defence Ministry official Major General Igor Konashenkov (April 16, 2018)


As it was promised, the Russian Defence Ministry analyzed effectiveness of missile and bomb strike made by the United States, Great Britain, and France on Syria as well as actions held by Syrian air defence units.

It is to be reminded that on April 14 from 3.42 a.m. to 5.10 a.m. (MSK) different objects of the Syrian Arab Republic were attacked air and sea-based missile carriers of the United States and allies.

The cruise missile strikes were delivered from the areas of the Red Sea, Arabian Gulf, Mediterranean Sea, al-Tanf illegally controlled by the US troops.

Radar systems of the Syrian Arab Republic tracked 103 air targets.

According to official statements made by representatives of military departments of the United States, Great Britain, and France all strikes were targeted at three Syrian objects. Therefore, each object was targeted at by 30 and more cruise missiles and air-to-ground missiles.

However, such statements cause great skepticism.

The fact is that all Syrian objects declared as targets are not subsurface ones or well protected by the echeloned air defence system of bunkers.

As it can be clearly seen at space images spread by Western media, these are ordinary buildings on the surface.

It is to be reminded that, for example, warhead of the Tomahawk cruise missile, depending on the type, carries up to half a ton of explosive weight.

Therefore, it was enough not more than 10 missiles for each of the three targets in order to destroy them by any calculation methods, taking into account the triple overlap for their guaranteed destruction.

Survey of the territory of the affected sites in Syrian settlements of Barza and Jaramana confirms these calculations.

As it can be seen on the photograph of the facility in the Barza area, the nature of destruction as a result of a missile strike does not correspond to the scale of destruction from the use of three tens of cruise missiles.

Moreover, the survey of the territory of this and other objects did not reveal either a large number of debris and fragmentations of ammunition, or a corresponding number of impact craters.

Now, there is a real situation.

Real targets of the strikes made by the US, Great Britain, and France on April 14 were not only objects in Barza and Jaramana but also Syrian military objects, including airfields.

The Syrian Arab Army used S-200, S-125, Osa, Kvadart, Buk, and Strela air defence systems in order to repel this missile strike.

It is to be stressed that Soviet designed systems were produced more than 40 years ago.

The government troops also actively used the Russia-made Pantsyr air defence system, which had been received by the SAA earlier.

This system during the anti-aircraft battle showed almost 100 percent efficiency.

It is to be stressed that Syrian air defence system was organized on the principle of object defence. Almost all objects protected by air defence systems repelled the strike.

In total, the Syrian AD systems eliminated 71 cruise missiles of 103 ones.

Four missiles targeted the Damascus International Airport; 12 missiles – the Al-Dumayr airdrome, all the missiles have been shot down.

18 missiles targeted the Blai airdrome, all the missiles shot down.

12 missiles targeted the Shayrat airbase, all the missiles shot down.

Two missiles targeted the Tiyas airfield, all the missiles shot down.

Five out of nine missiles were shot down targeting the unoccupied Mazzeh airdrome.

Thirteen out of sixteen missiles were shot down targeting the Homs airdrome. There are no heavy destructions.

Almost 30 missiles and corrected air bombs were targeted research-and-development objects located near Barza and Jaramana. Five of them were hit by Syrian AD systems.

In total, Syrian air defence systems fired 112 air defence missiles.

Pantsyr AD system fired 25 missiles and hit 24 targets;

Buk system fired 29 missiles and hit 24 targets;

Osa system fired 11 and hit 5 targets;

S-125 system fired 13 missiles and hit 5 targets;

Strela-10 system fired 5 missiles and hit 3 targets;

Kvadrat system fired 21 and hit 11 targets;

S-200 system fired 8 and hit no targets.

It is to be added that no one should be misled by low results made by S-200 air defence missile systems.

This system is primarily designed to hit aircraft. However, this system shot down a fighter of a neighboring country. The aircraft took efforts to intrude airspace of the Syrian Arab Republic.

The rest systems showed very high efficiency despite high speed of targets and extremely small radar-cross section.

Read the bold part at the end - do I understand this correctly that the SAA shot down an Israeli fighter jet during the attack? Or are they talking about another "neighboring country"?
 
Read the bold part at the end - do I understand this correctly that the SAA shot down an Israeli fighter jet during the attack? Or are they talking about another "neighboring country"?

Or maybe he is referring to the Israeli F-16 that Syria shot down a month or so earlier.
 
  • Like
Reactions: luc
17/04/2018 - Breaking: Syrian military confirms Israeli missiles targeted airbase in eastern Homs
Breaking: Syrian military confirms Israeli missiles targeted airbase in eastern Homs

The Syrian military announced at approximately 1:10 A.M. (Damascus Time), the Israeli Air Force fired several missiles towards the Shay’rat Airbase and its surrounding area in the Homs Governor


Interesting... a later report says it was a false alarm:

False Alarm Set Off Syrian Air Defense Overnight
A commander of the military alliance that supports Syrian President Bashar al-Assad told Reuters that the country's air defense was set off overnight due to a false alarm.

According to the anonymous military man, the malfunction was caused by "a joint electronic attack" by Israel and the US that targeted the Syrian radar system.
 
RT Published on Apr 16, 2018
French President Emmanuel Macron said that the US-led strike on Syria was legitimate, but "history will judge" whether the operation was justified". The military action has put President Emmanuel Macron under pressure in French Parliament.

US Wants to Replace Its Troops in Syria With Gulf States' Militaries - Reports
(updated 11:17 17.04.2018)
Earlier, the White House had reiterated President Donald Trump’s promise to pull US troops from Syria as soon as possible to “let the other people take care of it.”

The Trump administration plans to replace American troops with Arab forces in Syria to stabilize the situation in the northeastern part of the country, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing American officials. According to the media outlet’s sources, Trump’s national security adviser John Bolton recently held a phone conversation with Abbas Kamel, Egypt’s acting intelligence chief, to see if Cairo was willing to contribute to the implementation of the plan.

Prior to the phone call to Egypt, the United States had reportedly requested Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates allocate billions of dollars to restore the northeastern part of Syria. The unnamed officials told the Wall Street Journal that Washington wanted Arab nations to send their servicemen to the area.

Earlier this week, the White House had stated that the US “mission had not changed,” as President Trump still wanted American troops to “come home as quickly as possible,” despite his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron’s claims that he had convinced Trump to maintain a US presence in Syria for a longer term.
*Daesh, also known as ISIS/ISIL/IS, a terrorist group banned in Russia and many other countries

Israeli Media Claims Iranian Forces Use 3 Airbases For Its Operations In Syria
17.04.2018 SouthFront
On April 17, the Israeli news website ynet.co.il released an article claiming that Iranian forces operate from 3 airbases across Syria. According to the article, Iranian forces are deployed in the T4 airbase, the Deir Ezzor military airport and the al-Seen airbase.

The al-Seen airbase:

2-16.jpg


An alleged iranian position at the Deir Ezzor military airport:

3-14-768x433.jpg


The article also argued that Iran is preparing a military action against Israel in response to the April 7 Israeli strike on Iranian positions in the T4 airbase.

On April 16, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said that Iran would punish Israel for its actions.

“Tel Aviv will be punished for its aggressive action,” Bahram Ghassemi, a spokesman for the country’s foreign ministry, told reporters. “The occupying Zionist regime will, sooner or later, receive an appropriate response to its actions.”

The diplomat described the strike as “unacceptable” adding that “the Syrian military can defend its territory and will do so.”

Later on the same day, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that Israel is now “more powerful” than ever in an obvious response to the Iranian statement.
“And we are as powerful as we’ve [ever] been before. We’re economically successful as we’ve never been before. And we take our economic power and our military might and we weld them together to have unprecedented diplomatic flourishing of Israel’s relations around the world,” he told the Keren Hayesod-UIA Annual World Conference in Jerusalem.

False Alarm Set Off Syrian Air Defense Overnight - State Media
(updated 12:51 17.04.2018)
A commander of a military alliance that supports Syrian President Bashar al-Assad told Reuters earlier that the malfunction was caused by "a joint electronic attack" by Israel and the US that targeted the Syrian radar system.

According to the SANA news agency, a false alarm of an airspace violation triggered the launch of air defense sirens and several interceptor missiles in the early hours of Tuesday, but there was no external attack on Syria.

Furthermore, a source at the Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport told Sputnik that the Israeli Air Force jets could not strike the base since they had not entered the Lebanese airspace at the time of the suspected strike.

"At 21:00-01:30 [local time] there was no Israeli aircraft in the airspace of Lebanon," the source said.

Earlier in the day, the Syrian media reported that the country's armed forces repelled a missile attack on the Shayrat air base in the Homs province. A Syrian military source told Sputnik that nearly 10 missiles were intercepted. A Pentagon spokesman said that the United States was not conducting military activity in the area.

Following the reports, a UK Defense Ministry spokeswoman told Sputnik that the UK was not conducting any military operations in Syria on the night of Tuesday.

Last Saturday, the United States, France, and the United Kingdom launched strikes on a number of targets in Syria in response to an alleged chemical attack in the Damascus suburb of Douma.

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the three countries fired over 100 cruise and air-to-surface missiles, most of which were shot down by Syrian air defenses.

The attack came the same day that the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) mission was set to start the probe into the alleged chemical weapons attack in Douma, which the West had immediately blamed on Damascus.

Following the accusations, the Syrian government has strongly denied being behind the alleged attack and stated that the missile strike was "brutal aggression."

R&U Videos Published on Apr 16, 2018
 
17/04/2018 - Israeli defense minister claims right of 'total freedom of action' in Syrian airspace
Israeli defense minister claims right of 'total freedom of action' in Syrian airspace

Israel will not accept any limitations to its operations in Syrian airspace against 'Iranian threat', the defense minister said, expressing hope that "communication" lines with Moscow will help avoid any "friction" in the air.

On Tuesday morning, a series of missile strikes once again targeted Syrian military infrastructure. The Pentagon, which led the coordinated April 14 assault against Syrian targets with its British and French allies, denied its involvement in attacking a new set of targets. Israel, which struck Syria's Tiyas (T-4) airfield in Homs province on April 9, also failed to acknowledge bombing its neighbor.

"We will maintain total freedom of action. We will not accept any limitation when it comes to the defense of our security interests," Lieberman told Walla News on Monday, noting that "all options are on the table."

Two Israeli F-15 fighters targeted Syria's T-4 airbase in Homs province, the Russian Defense Ministry revealed after the surprise attack on April 9. The jets fired eight guided missiles, but five of them were shot down before they hit the airfield. The attack on the T-4 base came at a critical time after Western powers accused the Syrian government and vowed retaliation for an alleged chlorine attack in the militant-held town of Douma on April 7.

Russia, which has a military coordination hotline with Israel to avoid clashes over Syria, called the strike a "very dangerous development." Moscow also noted earlier that it will shoot down any projectiles that could threaten Russian personnel on the ground.

On Monday, Lieberman praised the Israeli-Russian deconfliction hotline, noting the success of the established mechanism to avert any "friction" in the Syrian skies.

"We do not want to provoke the Russians," Lieberman told Walla News. "We have an open line of communication at the level of senior officers. The Russians understand us and the fact is that for years we have managed to avoid friction with them."

While respecting Russia's interests in Syria, Israel will keep on confronting the Iranian threat on its borders, Lieberman noted, reiterating Tel Aviv's position that Israeli armed forces have the right to strike Iranian-linked targets that Israel believes are destined for Lebanese Hezbollah.

We have to do what we are forced to do. We will not allow Iranian consolidation in Syria," Lieberman said. "We will not tolerate a significant Iranian military force in Syria in the form of military ports and airports or the deployment of sophisticated weaponry."

Speaking to members of the IDF General Staff later on Monday, the defense minister called for "further strengthen preparedness" for the Israeli military to tackle the Iranian threat.

"We are facing a new reality—the Lebanese army, in cooperation with Hezbollah, the Syrian army, the Shiite militias in Syria and above them Iran—are all becoming a single front against the State of Israel," Lieberman noted.

The T-4 strike earlier this month, which Israel has yet to officially acknowledge, reportedly targeted Iran's drone program. The attack allegedly killed seven Iranian soldiers out of at least 14 reported fatalities.

On Monday, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassem condemned the attack, noting that Israel will "sooner or later receive the necessary responses to its recent crime and aggression."

"Gone are the days of 'hit and run' for Israel," Qassem said. "Resistance forces in the region are able to respond at the right place and the right time."


17/04/2018 - Russian military releases full report for US-led missile attack on Syria, what air defense systems were used and their effectiveness
Russian military releases full report for US-led missile attack on Syria, what air defense systems were used and their effectiveness

The Russian military has released a full report on the US-led missile attack against Syria during the morning hours of April 14, part of which details what Syrian air defense systems were used and the effectiveness of such weapons.

According to the report, one hundred and three (103) US, British and French cruise missiles fired at Syria were engaged by a range of Syrian air defense systems including Pantsir-S1, Buk-M2, Kub, Strela-10, Osa, S-125 and S-200 that, in turn, replied with 112 surface-to-air missiles (SAM).

In order, the effectiveness of these air defense systems were recorded as follows:

  • Pantsir-S1: 25 missiles fired, 23 hits scored.
  • Buk-M2: 29 missiles fired, 24 hits scored.
  • Kub: 21 missiles fired, 11 hits scored.
  • Strela-10: 5 missiles fired, 3 hits scored.
  • Osa: 11 missiles fired, 5 hits scored.
  • S-125: 13 missiles fired, 5 hits scored.
  • S-200: 8 missiles fired, 0 hits scored.
The complete ineffectiveness of the S-200 to successfully engage any of the attacking cruise missiles has been put down to the SAM system’s biased design towards intercepting high-altitude aircraft, not low-flying missiles.

The statistics likely fail to account for Western cruise missiles that were downed or driven off target due to ‘soft-kill’ electronic warfare systems – something which Russian sources will never confirm the use of.

In any case, going by official numbers, the interception rate of Syrian air defenses during the US-led missile attack stands at about 70 percent.


17/04/2018 - Syrian Air Defenses Target Missiles over Homs, Damascus - Syrian TV
Syrian Air Defenses Target Missiles Over Homs, Damascus - Syrian TV

Syria's air defenses shot down missiles targeting Shayrat air base in Homs province early Tuesday, state media reported, as a Hezbollah media arm said missiles targeting Dumayr base near Damascus were also intercepted. Iranian news agencies also reported missiles being fired toward Shayrat. Approximately nine missiles reportedly targeted the base; their source isn't yet clear.

A Hezbollah milita media unit shortly afterward stated that Syrian air defenses intercepted three missiles that targeted the Dumayr airport in northeast Damascus. Reports of that attack had been swirling on social media before the announcement.

Syrian news agency SANA stated that "Syrian air defense shot down missiles which violated airspace over Homs." The agency did not indicate the source of the strike, but later said no casualties or material damage had been reported as a result of it. Social media reports are pointing the finger at Israel for the strikes.

"There is no US military activity in that area at this time," Eric Pahond, a Pentagon spokesman said when asked about the strike in Homs. "We do not have additional details to provide."

A local reporter for The Arab News said Israeli warplanes were spotted in Syrian airspace just before the missiles were reported.

According to the reporter, missiles crossed into Syria through Lebanon. This incident follows the April 13 strike the US, UK and France carried out in Syria as a response to the alleged chemical attack in Douma, which both Russia and Syria have repeatedly stated never happened. The operation, which was carried out in less than 60 minutes, targeted three main chemical weapons-related sites and one command center.


17/04/2018 - Trust between Russia and US nearly lost, but not zero – Lavrov to BBC
Trust between Russia and US nearly lost, but not zero – Lavrov to BBC
(3:06 min.)
(Un-edited 32:31 min.)
(15:39 min.)

Russia is losing the last remnants of trust with its US partners after unsubstantiated claims of a Syrian chemical attack and the Skripal poisoning case, Russian FM Sergey Lavrov told the BBC, adding that some trust still remains.

BBC HARDtalk’s host Stephen Sackur started his interview with Lavrov by stating: “You say there’s no trust, you mean, zero trust, now between Russia and the US… But the Foreign Minister corrected the journalist, saying that: “I said we’re losing the last remnants of trust, which is not yet zero.”

Lavrov said that the current state of relations between Russia and the West is “worse” than during the Cold War. Back then, “there were channels of communication and there was no obsession with Russophobia,” but now the number of such channels has significantly decreased, he explained. Still, the “de-conflicting channel was engaged all the time” between the Russian and the US militaries, Lavrov added.

“We don’t accept” the Western claims that the missiles strikes on Syria only targeted chemical facilities and weren’t aimed at promoting regime change in the country, Lavrov said. “You have hard talk. We want hard facts,” he added.

When asked if there was a real threat of a direct military conflict between Russian and American forces over the missile strikes on Syria by the US and its allies, the FM replied: "Well, I don't think that was very close.”

“I believe it was a situation created by very reckless behavior of our Western colleagues, who accused the Syrian government and us as allies of the Syrian government of applying chemical weapons against civilians without waiting for the OPCW [Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons] to inspect the place," he said.

The FM reiterated that “there is no proof that on April 7 chemical weapons were used in Douma” and that the claimed attack was staged. All the so-called evidence of Syrian government’s guilt that is being provided by the Western leaders is “based on the media reports and on social networks,” he added.

“When some time ago the three western countries, who are leading this crazy campaign said: ‘if Assad uses chemical weapons then we would use force.’ I believe that was a signal to the bad guys, including the White Helmets to stage a provocation,” Lavrov said. “Now after they stuck on April 14, they say again if you do this again we will use force again – this is another invitation to the opposition; to the extremists to resume fighting, which they did already. They tried to attack Damascus immediately after the strike.”

It was “ridiculous” when UK Prime Minister Theresa May sanctioned Russia after saying that it “highly likely” behind the poisoning of former double agent Sergei Skripal in Salisbury, Lavrov said.

“‘Highly likely’ is a new invention of the British diplomacy to describe why they punish people – because these people are ‘highly likely’ guilty. Like in ‘Alice in Wonderland’ by Lewis Carroll when he described a trial… and the King said: ‘Let’s ask the jury’ and the Queen shouted: ‘No jury! Sentence first! Verdict afterwards!’ That’s the logic of ‘highly likely,’” he explained.
 
Back
Top Bottom