Russia builds four new air bases in Syria, deploys another 6,000 troops
Contrary to Moscow’s promises, the Russian military is not pulling out of Syria, but adding four more air bases (one shared with Iran) and 6,000 more troops.
On Dec. 11, 2017, Russian President Vladimir Putin, followed by Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu, announced that the Russian military was to withdraw from Syria to home bases. DEBKAfile’s military and intelligence sources report that the reverse happened. A small number of units were indeed sent home, but they were sooner replaced, and instead of two bases – the air facility at Hmeimim and the naval installation at Tartus – four more Syrian air bases are being reconstructed and adapted for the use of the Russian air force.
The attached map illustrates their locations:
- The Tiyas Military Airbase (also known as T-4) in the Homs Governorate west of Palmyra, is the largest in Syria. The Russians are massively converting it into their main center of aerial operations in central Syria. Tyas will also provide backup as needed for Khmeimim, if drone, missile and mortar attacks recur.
- Palmyra (or Tadmor) Airport provides air support for operations in eastern Syria including the Deir ez-Zour province. Moscow has agreed to share it with Iran. The Revolutionary Guards Al Qods chief Gen. Qassem Soleimani is planning to make Palmyra the main assembly center for the transfer of pro-Iranian Iraqi Shiite militias from southern Iraq to Syria.
- From Hama Military Airport west of Hama, the Russians will exercise control from the air of central Syria and the northern and central highways to Damascus. Still more importantly, this airport’s location places it just 125km as the crow flies (173km by road) from Russia’s Tartus naval base on the Mediterranean coast.
- Shayrat, at Homs (which became notorious as the target of a massive US Tomahawk attack last year) is the main landing site for air transports which bring the Russian and Iranian forces troop reinforcements, weapons and spare parts.
More than 6,000 additional Russian military personnel are assigned to the four renovated bases in Syria – most of them air force and special operations personnel. Some have arrived.
The attached map shows how the new layer of Russian bases in western, central and eastern Syria faces the chain of military locations the Americans have decided to keep in northern Syria. The two powers are evidently in a race for bases in Syria. In strategic terms, the two powers are dividing a large swath of Syria between them as regions of influence, leaving any future ruler in Damascus with just about half of Syrian territory under government control.
Poor Putin already is without money will have to put cardboard weapons can not afford more
Hmm, Russia (therefore Putin) has large reserves of verifiable Gold reserves (real money) as does China. Unlike the US which has likely squandered most of it’s Fort Knox holdings, Russia is not anywhere near broke like the US which has a big pot of debt. Peace.
Is that honestly what you think? Is it possible to be so profoundly uninformed? You know that 2014 is long over right? You are completely out of touch with reality.
This is not a surprise. There is no way Russia is going to just get up and go. To believe this is naive. Whilst they are there so will Iran be. The monetary cost of this isn’t small, however, since when was money not available for creating misery around the world. The same applies to the yanks and their allies who are there, though the US government has to do more justification to its people for still being engaged in foreign adventures given Trump’s election bleating about it. Putin wont have the same issue if he sticks to using mercenaries on the front line plus other people’s money (including anything he can get off of ISIS) to finance it.
Tit for tat
Wow. Russian Bear is on the prowl and growl. Russia and Iran and in bed together the dog Russia and the fleas Iran. Hmm. It would be nice if the USA from the east and Israel from the West crush Russia in the middle of Syria. Bury the rabid dog in the smelly fleas amongst the warring Arabs of Syria.
Ha…you should be lucky Russia , Iran, Hez and Syrians will allow US to stay.
Such a ridiculous idea. Just saying US wants to stay means they can? So naive.
There is no way US can take on Iran, Russia plus ASSAD’s allies and losing half of Syria to a losing side is just not possible.
Wait for Sochi if there is war or peace.
Iran has said, get out or forced out
Yeah, super tough Iran, with their massive, and technologically unsurpassed air and naval forces will dictate to America. In your doedorant challenged never to be fulfilled 3rd world dreams. Let Iranian Islamist scum test whether politically correct sissies like the Bushes, Clinton’s and Obamas still run the show in the US. Death to all Islamist scum, and all their sissified Western sympathizers.
Why USA need to stay on the land that does not belong to USA?
USA brings war to every place they bring thier troops.
Then USA would have to watch its entire homeland utterly decimated beyond recognition by a massive nuclear strike.
Ok, Russia has broader, longer term designs on Syria. This article presents no analysis as to what Putin’s strategy may be.
Yes, he will poke the US in the eye whenever he can and probe for weakness (which helps him at home). Is this a strategy to set boundaries for the US for fear that it may have a desire to stabilize Syria, evict Iran, and undercut Russia’s strategic foothold in Syria, i.e. a reconstituted Syria w/o Assad might ask Russia to leave Syria.
And if so, what might be Putin’s stance towards the Iranian presence in Syria. Might he actually desire it, in opposition to the US?
And to what extent might he even be willing to ensure Iran’s presence, such as allowing it to operate in close proximity to Russia’s bases, thus giving cover from any Israeli defensive action?
In my humble opinion, there is no Russian strategy, American strategy, Israeli strategy, etc. There is only one strategy, that of the power elites. The rest is all theatre to carry out “the strategy.” They control the nations via a pyramidical power structure. They do not have to control the whole nation, just the people at the top of the pyramid, and the orders are carried out downwards. Would any of us even know if an AI was calling the shots? On a less sci-fi take, if the Vatican has been lending money to the nations for the past thousand years, who do you think really runs the show? Is not the borrower slave to the lender? The elites have been inbreeding for thousands of years. What happens when you inbreed dogs for one or two generations? Now multiply that by several generations and you have a world at constant war, because the people at the top are inbred, pathological, power addicts, bent on world conquest. So what happens when they get total control? What will their high strung, sadistic personalities turn to then?
Nobody has the power to make the Russians leave.
He’s responding to changes on the ground. It’s fluid to say the least.
Americans have changed their strategy, the Turks are moving, and he has to try to appease the Israeli security concerns.
Of course he had to adapt accordingly.
Just leave Kurdistan alone! Iran go home. Assad get lynched. Putin give Rabbi Nachman to mt Zion and join the right side even if you are a gangster, Gd loves people that keep their word to him. Otherwise what goes around comes around. My crystal ball says after April it will get very bloody and that’s too bad because it could still all be avoided.
I can talk to any orthodox priest you listen to.
Unfortunately Nazi Iran is being guided, financed, and helped to carry out their genocidal intentions through the help of Nazi Russia. When Russia is so clearly supporting Iranian and Syrian Nazism the Israelis must be clear Iran nor Russia are our friends and must be driven away from Israel at all costs.
Debka Fake and disinformation Service
Yesterday: Russia evict Iran/Hisbullah from Syria
Today: Russai bulid new bases in Syria and iranian use it
Cut Mossad some slack: Probably they’re just getting played. That would explain why their articles post ignorant hearsay and rumor. Also, their lemming readership needs to be propagandized.
They have no idea just how hated ApartheidIsrael is right now. A colonial settler genocider state surprisingly has allies only amongst psychopaths.
Russia is mirroring the US…
It will be hard for Israel to bomb Shayrat and Palmyra and it will be easier for Iran to pump more militia and weapons in to the syrian battlefield… Putin will not tollerate the IDF bombing russian bases… Russia has with Israel the same kind of problem that the US has with Turkey… Hezbollah and Iran are valuable assets for Russia as the Kurds are for the US…
Could you also please indicate in the future Iran’s strategic locations in Syria
Better Russia than Iranian/Hez bases. Perhaps they will restrain the anti-Israel factions, as Russia and Israel seem to have good relations.
Same as foe the Russian settlements in Syria, Palestinian settlements in and around Jerusalem and Gaza city are illegal, there never were provisions for such mass displacements under the Turkish, British, or Israeli laws. And there never was a “Palestinian” people.
Good news for techno clubs in Latakia not closing anytime soon!!
The Lord Jesus Christ is returning soon, very soon. Biblical prophesied wars are about to come to fruition.
The Groundwork is being Laid in Syria. Let’s believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved. Judgement Day is coming, Antichrist is coming, Hell on Earth is coming. The bible Says, ” Except those days be shortened, no flesh shall be saved…2018, 2024, 2031.
keep taking the meds,you need them
The Imperial Russia has colonized Syria. Unfortunately for the oligarchs, the Russians have Internet now i.e. Radio Free Europe and Voice of America can’t be jammed as they were in Soviet times. The unsuccessful 1905 Russian revolution started after the “great European power” Russia was defeated by an “inferior race”, the little Asian Japan. The Asian Sunnis will break Russian spirit just as Japan did in 1905. Israel needs to continue staying out of Syria for the sake of the remaining several hundred thousand (hostage) Jews in Russia. These Jews will be the target of the modern “black hundreds” once Russian boys start returning from Syria maimed and in coffins. Putin’s Jewish friends will escape leaving their money behind, the common Jew however will experience a high-tech pogrom. This little Jew will have nobody except his greedy stupidity to blame since he could have easily gone to his historical motherland (Israel). Now days he doesn’t need to beg for a visa to some Christian hateful country or end up in a Shanghai Japanese created ghetto. Russian Antisemitism will energize the European populace. Finally Europe will have a new reason to hate the Jews again and not to feel guilty anymore about WWII. Israel should keep some of its German made submarines and a fleet of underwater drones in the Baltic sea to force the Europeans to let their Jews leave. History doesn’t have to repeat itself, the Jews can learn and adopt.
Looks to me like Russia and Iran have a major deal in place. Looking at the big picture Russia wants and overland route to the Mediterranean Sea for an oil and gas Pipeline going through Iran. So they have beef up Iranian weapons, keep Israel at bay and protect Iran’s flank for the upcoming military operation. Why? Iran will roll through Iraq on its way to conquest of Saudi Arabia consolidating with friendly forces in Yemen and Oman to take down the emirate. Russia and Iran will then have dominance over the world oil and natural gas market.
Israel will be powerless to stop them due to Russia’s firepower concentrated in a flanking position on the northern border to prevent a link up between Israeli and American forces in Syria. Also, look at the positions of the Russian bases. Their main function is to keep the route to the coast open with access to the inevitable deep water ports at Tartus and/or Latakia, one for a natural gas and oil terminal and one for Russia’s new naval base. Israel could attack neither for fear of reprisal agains their own Natural gas operations in the Med.
Once Russia has their pipeline in place they will consolidate their gains and have control of all natural gas going to Europe (Russia’s quid pro quo). Iran once it consolidates it’s hold over the entire Middle East (beside’s Israel) will then focus on Israel and attempt to surround and destroy Israel. It’s long stated goal.
One thing gumming up the works right now is the US presence in Northern Syria which stands in Russia and Iran’s way. Iran cannot go south without consolidating it’s hold on Northern Syria and Russia needs that territory for the Med pipe line. Ultimately, this will lead to a clash of US Saudi Israeli troops against Russian and Iranian forces. Erdogan understands that once this occurs nothing will stop Russia from moving north through Turkey and he is playing both sides of the fence (but mostly the Russian one) for purposes of self preservation.
This is not about religion. It’s about money and control. Always money.
ROFL not really,That might be the plan but Russia and Iran wont last a single afternoon against the USA and Israel that’s a strategic fact,They simply dont have the capacity to fight a major war never mind a multi theater scaled one.
American Strategic Think Tanks & DOD will think globally even while Middle East alignments mirror prophecy.
Look for Monroe Doctrine coming back particularly enhanced NAFTA inspection/ joint miliary presence along Panama Canal. Mexican cargo trains will be kept clear of unauthorized personnel.
Possible EMP/HAMP events including “false flag” originated nuclear detonations in Troposphere over North America require dispersed container handling apparatus away from port and rail container hubs. As time permits dormant rail feeder lines shall be rebuilt to expand rail capacity and reach for famine hedge.
Nerw utility and emergency response (fire/police) vehicles will require Faraday Cage protection for onboard computer fuel and driveline controls.
Russia will regard Genesis 12 warnings regarding Israel. Putin will keep Mohammedanism at arm’s length for the good of Russia.
Just keep buying US IOUs ad infinitum
Russia is following its national interests in the region in trying in pacifying it, after US has destroyed several countries to maintain it’s Petrodollar scheme.
To the attitude of US’s administration there is in Russian a saying ” The one who wants it’s all will be left with nothing”. US population, being 3 percent off world population, is using 50% of world energy resources. Apparently that’s not enough. So, instead of leading by example, the US Oligarchs are trying to lead by force. This works with many countries, except with Russia. And believe it or not, this is independently whether the US wonabee world masters like it or not. That is good for Israel as well. Russia has very good relationship with Israel, and by trying to insulate Russia the US is makjng it for Israel more difficult. But apparently that is the least thing the US Oligarchs are concerned of.
Makes sense to me , USA still in Germany
Peace
This situation may bring calm to a fractured Syria
Russian and Israelis are as good a question mark as Turkey and Usa
The Weird situation should stabilize oil through Syria so everyone gets paid back for military interventions.
Iran may be a wild card, (aka Hizballah ) but they know the hand that feeds them
Why are we in Syria?