MOSCOW (AP) — President Vladimir Putin says Russia’s air campaign in Syria has proven the military’s increased combat readiness and capability.Putin said at a meeting with defense officials that «the counter-terrorism operation we are conducting on the Syrian leadership’s request has proven that.» Russia has deployed several dozen jets at an air base in the Syrian coastal province of Latakia, which have flown more than 1,600 combat missions since Sept. 30.
Critisized Russia
Moscow has said, according to Associated Press, that its aircraft has targeted the Islamic State group and other terrorist organizations, but Washington and its NATO allies have criticized Russia for targeting moderate rebel groups fighting Syrian President Bashar Assad.Putin said Monday that Russia’s military modernization program has been successfully implemented, with defense plants churning out new jets, missiles, navy ships and other weapons.
Assurage Israle`s fears
Russian President Vladimir Putin sought to assuage Israel’s fears of potential Iranian and Syrian aggression, during talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday that also addressed concerns over Russia’s military buildup in Syria.The two leaders agreed on ways to prevent an unintended confrontation between Israel’s military and Russian forces deployed in Syria, Netanyahu told Israeli reporters after the talks, the Haaretz daily reported. The West suspects that Russia’s movement of aircraft, missiles, tanks and other military equipment to Syria is intended to support the government of President Bashar Assad. Russia has insisted that its aim is to help Syria, a longtime ally, fight the Islamic State group and has urged the West to coordinate its efforts with Assad’s government as well.
Culd Threaten Israel
Netanyahu also warned that the Russian military activity in Syria could threaten Israeli forces, echoing a warning issued by the U.S. last week. At the start of their meeting at Putin’s residence outside Moscow, Netanyahu told him that Iran and Syria have been supplying Hezbollah with advanced weapons and are «trying to set up a second terrorist front on the Golan Heights,» which Israel captured from Syria and effectively annexed in 1981. Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Friday, Nov. 6, 2015. Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to suspend all Russian flights to Egypt on Friday after a recommendation by his chief of intelligence for a halt until the cause of last week’s crash of a passenger jet in the Sinai Peninsula is determined, as an official said pieces of wreckage from the plane had been brought to Moscow to test for possible traces of explosives. (Alexei Nikolsky/RIA-Novosti, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
