Russia puts its military operations on display
HEMEIMEEM AIRBASE, Syria — Russian fighter jets streak into the sky from this base in western Syria for yet another day of the heavy bombing runs that have allowed Moscow to portray itself as a major global player, projecting military power far from its borders.
While support crews attached a missile to an Su-30 jet for a mission Thursday, helicopter gunships buzzed around the base to make sure there was no threat of a ground attack.
Russia has been conducting daily airstrikes in Syria since Sept. 30 to back a government offensive by its longtime ally. Moscow says it is targeting militants, especially from the Islamic State and other extremists. The United States and others have criticized the strikes, which they say are aimed primarily at groups fighting Syrian President Bashar Assad’s forces and likely only fan the violence.
The Russian defence ministry flew Moscow-based reporters to the airbase early Thursday, giving a few international news organizations their first inside look at its operations.
The tour was organized Wednesday, the same day the Kremlin announced that Assad had met in Moscow with President Vladimir Putin. Assad’s visit Tuesday was his first known trip abroad since the conflict broke out in 2011 and raised intense speculation about motives of the two leaders.
A diplomatic push also was underway. Russia said Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry would meet Friday in Vienna and would be joined by their counterparts from Saudi Arabia and Turkey, both staunch critics of Assad.
Putin also talked on the phone with the leaders of Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan ahead of the Friday session, the Kremlin said.
Lavrov said Russia will brief its counterparts on its military and political efforts in Syria.
“I think other parties will be interested to get firsthand information from the Russian delegation about the steps that we take to fight (ISIL) in Syria. We should also talk about the political process,” he said.
Lavrov also said in televised remarks that Moscow is eager to invite other countries from the region to the talks, especially Iran — another supporter of Assad.
Although Lavrov said Russia had agreed to meet with the U.S., Saudi Arabia and Turkey, he reiterated Moscow “remained convinced” a settlement of the Syrian crisis had no future without the involvement of Iran.
“It’s vitally important in current conditions to include Egypt, Qatar, the Emirates and Jordan in the group,” he added.
Journalists were shown well-organized operations at the Hemeimeem base, near the coastal city of Latakia. The large base is protected by air defence systems, which can be seen deployed around its edges.
Security forces with assault rifles guard key facilities, and rows of armoured personnel carriers are parked nearby.
The combat missions by the Su-25s and Su-30s began early Thursday.
Russian servicemen in crisp uniforms were barred from talking to reporters.