Before the war it was the largest city in Syria, and for several years he was the chief stronghold of the rebels. Now Aleppo is under threat — coming decisive battle.
The strength of the regime and its allies are present at the place of military action, with support of the Russian bombers from the air tighten the ring around the Eastern part of the city that still holds the coalition of rebel groups.
Aleppo is the regime’s most cherished goal, and these military successes would have been unthinkable before the end of last year into this war entered Russia.
Since then, as Russia at the request of President Bashar al-Assad came to his aid, on the Syrian arena of military action underwent a rapid change.
But what makes in Syria, Russian President Vladimir Putin? What he wants actually? There are five reasons why Russia in the near future of Syria will not go away.
1. Protection of Russian interests in Syria
Russia in Syria is an important economic and military interests — for example, Mediterranean naval base in Tartus, which she firmly intends to keep. The object of the Russian Navy has existed in Syria since the Soviet era, and although it was more the point of repair of warships and supply them with fuel and consumables consisting of a single floating dock. he is the only Russian base in the Mediterranean. Real high probability of the fall of the Assad regime was most likely the main reason that in September last year the Kremlin decided to use its powerful military aviation.
Since the entry of Russia into the war strategic management center military operations of the Russian air force is Hamim air base near the city of Latakia.
2. The protection of strategic interests
Putin delivers a signal to the world: Russia is still a force to be reckoned with.
The invasion of Iraq under US leadership, which toppled longtime dictator Saddam Hussein and the overthrow in 2011 of Muammar Gaddafi in Libya (in support of bombing by the international coalition) has deprived Moscow of its key allies.
More recently, the overthrow of the Western-backed Pro-Russian President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych has pushed Russia towards the annexation of the Crimean Peninsula and support for Pro-Russian rebels fighting in Eastern Ukraine, which became the bloodiest in Europe since the wars over the former Yugoslavia in the early 1990-ies.
Syria under the rule of Assad, the Kremlin sees as a key element, a pillar of its influence in the middle East, and Moscow does not wish for his resignation.
3. The struggle against Islamist organizations
The Kremlin truly fears the spread of Islamist violence. Russia has repeatedly been the victim of brutal terrorist attacks carried out by militants, jihadists. The rebels-Islamists from Chechnya — a Republic in southern Russia — are fighting for independence since 1990-ies, although the outcome of Moscow’s six-year bloody war, managed to suppress a significant part of the opposition forces, and now this Autonomous region is under tight control of Ramzan Kadyrov appointed by Moscow leadership. However, separatist groups have continued to launch against Russia bloody operation, similar to the terrorist attacks in Volgograd in 2014.
Russia fears that the victory of ISIS in Syria would have repercussions on its own territory, because some of the representatives of military command of ISIS are Russians of Chechen origin.
More recently, the explosion of a bomb crashed Russian passenger airliner over the Sinai Peninsula, the responsibility for which was assumed by ISIL — apparently in retaliation for the fact that Russia supports the Assad government in Syria). This further alarmed by Russia in connection with the distribution groups associated with the “Islamic state” and “al-Qaeda”.
She called for an international coalition to destroy these groups.
4. Strengthening support for Putin inside the country
The fall in oil prices and sanctions imposed by the West over Ukraine, plunged the Russian economy into crisis. In 2015, the economy contracted by 3.7%, which, according to the International monetary Fund, she was among the 10 weakest among emerging markets of the world. Russian ruble against the dollar has depreciated to record levels, and as a result, millions of Russians have become poorer than before.
The level of public support for President Putin within the country remains high, however, considering that improvement of economic situation in sight, the Kremlin ever need something to distract the population. To achieve universal support and strengthen national pride by using the war in Syria — while the Russians losses are small.
5. The sale of arms
On the background of the dramatic events in Syria, Russia gets the opportunity to increase the popularity and promote its high-tech military equipment — from providing first-class air superiority combat fighters su-35 to new cruise missiles of sea basing “Caliber”. Russia is already one of the world’s largest weapons manufacturers. And sales in countries such as China and India — are closely watching how Russia affects the course of the war in Syria — now may increase significantly.
