Michael Weiss, Daily Beast: Exposing Russia’s Secret Army in Syria
Some wear uniforms, some don’t, but from highway checkpoints to jet fighters, Russians are being spotted all over the Assad dictatorship’s heartland.
Russian military officers are now in Damascus and meeting regularly with Iranian and Syrian counterparts, according to a source with close contacts in the Bashar al-Assad regime. “They’re out in restaurants and cafes with other high officials in the Syrian Army,” the source told The Daily Beast, “mainly concentrated in Yaafour and Sabboura, areas that are close to each other, and in west Mezze,” referring to a district in the capital where Assad’s praetorian Fourth Armored Division keeps an important airbase. “The Russians aren’t in uniform, but they’re constantly hanging out with officers from the Syrian Army’s central command.”
Other Syrians claim to have seen Russians in uniform.
WNU Editor: The only question that remains unanswered is .... how big of an involvement is Russia committing to. What`s my guess .... air support and air strikes, special forces embeded with Syrian forces, support for Hezbollah and Iranian ground forces in Syria. In short .... a few thousand Russian soldiers who will plan, coordinate, and act in cooperation with Syrian military forces.