Putin defends giving military assistance to Syrian regime

Russian Federation has positioned about a half dozen tanks at an airfield at the centre of a military build-up in Syria, according to two United States officials.

Recent military activity in Syria indicates theestablishment of a Russian air base in the war torn country a Pentagon spokesman said Monday.

Moscow denied it had made any further military commitment to Damascus, while Putin has suggested that the prospect of Russian troops on the ground in Syria was one of “various options”, being considered. “Yes, we receive arms, military equipment, all this is done in line with agreements sealed between our countries”, Riad Haddad was quoted as saying by the ITAR-TASS news agency.

“Our soldiers and military specialists are located there to service Russian equipment, cooperate with the Syrian army in using this equipment”, Lavrov told journalists on Thursday.

The Pentagon is said to have been caught off guard by reports that Moscow has deployed troops in Syria to support the embattled regime of Bashar Assad.

Russian Federation is under increased pressure from the worldwide community to explain what exactly it is up to in Syria, something that could come to a head later this month when the United Nations General Assembly convenes in New York City. He repeatedly declined to get into the specifics of the buildup they were seeing, but said that there are no fighter jets on the ground. But more than a week later, the Iraqis had yet to take action.

Millions are fleeing the country “because Assad has butchered his own people and because ISIL (Islamic State) have in their own way butchered others”, the Prime Minister told MPs.

Compounding Abadi’s challenge are his efforts to maintain good relations with the United States, Iran, and Russian Federation. Iraq also is buying weapons from Moscow, which Abadi visited in May. Iraq’s small air force has limited options in dealing with the defense of its airspace. “And certainly we are anxious that they could possibly return”.

“It was an opportunity lost in 2012”, Ahtisaari said in an interview.

“Neutrality is the best Washington can hope for in Baghdad”, Mardini added.

The USA has criticised Russia’s military build up in Syria, and called for Greece and Bulgaria to block the passage of Russian transport planes.

The Obama administration’s warnings to the Russians were decidedly stark. “We won’t achieve anything until we defeat terrorism in Syria”.

“We’re keeping an eye on the Russian situation”, Air Force Col. Pat Ryder, spokesman for CENTCOM, said at a press briefing on September 11, downplaying any potential conflict to reporters. More prefabricated buildings have been delivered, increasing the housing capacity to 1,500 people.

‘Undoubtedly the need to unite forces in the fight against terror comes to the forefront today, ‘ Putin said.