Russia escalates role in Syrian conflict
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Russia is sharply increasing its military support for the Assad regime in Syria, deploying dozens of aicraft and helicopters and thousands of troops
to its new airbase near the port of Latakia
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Russia’s heavylift An-124 freighter

Assad regime control

TURKEY SYRIA LEBANON Damascus IRAQ JORDAN

Latakia: Russia expanding facilities at Bassel al-Assad Airport, 25km
south of city, to accommodate additional aircraft and personnel

Tartus: Small Soviet-era facility tobecome full-scale naval base

100km 60 miles
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AIRCRAFT

Su-25 “Frogfoot”: 12 ground-attack jets, similar to U.S. A-10 “Warthog”

Su-24 “Fencer”: 12 long-rangesupersonic strike aircraft. Type also used by Syrian air force

Su-30 “Flanker”: Four fighter jets

UNMANNED AIRCRAFT

Unarmed Pchela 1T drones reportedly flying surveillance missions


HELICOPTERS
At least 20. Possible types include Mi-24 “Hind” gunships and Mi-17 “Hip” transports

Mi-24

AIR DEFENCES

SA-22 “Greyhound”: Russianshort-range air defence gun / missile system deployed around airbase,according to U.S.

GROUND FORCES

Personnel: 2,000 being deployed as part of “first phase” of mission,including aircraft crews, engineers and troops to secure facility. Forces supplied through ongoing flights byIl-76 and An-124 cargo aircraft

Equipment: Seven T-90 tanksat airbase, plus numerous trucks,35 armoured personnel carriers(APCs) and 15 artillery guns

BTR-82 APC

NAVAL PREPARATIONS

Some 1,700 troops and specialists deployed to Tartus port to work on restructuring of Russian naval repair facility to handle bigger warships and transport vessels
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Sources: Stratfor, ISW, wire agencies

Picture: Associated Press

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