Rumors are starting to flow about an alleged attack on the Russian Aerospace Forces airbase in Khmeimin Syria. I have been parsing the Russian news sources and here is what I can say so far:
- an attack did indeed take place
- it was a combined multiple rocket launcher and mortar attack
- the rockets were all intercepted and destroyed
- the mortars did land and inflict damage
- the original report was based on two single Russian “military-diplomatic sources”
- the original claim was four that 4 Su-24 bombers, two Su-35S fighters and an An-72 transport plane, as well as an ammunition depot were hit
- the original claim also said that more than 10 Russians personnel were wounded
It appears that the reality is much less dramatic: mortars did land on the periphery of the base. However 2 soldiers were killed and 7 wounded. At this point in time, it does not appear that any aircraft were hit. Apparently the photos of damaged aircraft posted in the Russian social media have been taken elsewhere. The Russian MoD as specifically denied the veracity of this rumor and called it a ‘fake’.
As a rule, I would never say never.
However, I note that so far:
- nobody has shown any footage, not even from cellphones, of the attack
- nobody has shown any footage of the afthermath
- neither the USA nor even the Takfiris (Daesh/ISIS/IS/al-Qaeda/New Syrian Army/etc.) claim that attack
- in the past the Russians always reported their failures (SU-24, shot down helo, etc.)
- normally when attacked, the Russian admit it and make promises of merciless retaliation
It is, however, true that the Russian aircraft at Khmeimim are not under shelter and that is not a good thing.
Conclusion: at this point in time (0105UTC) I am calling this either a fake or a big exaggeration.
The Saker
UPDATE: various Russian sources are saying that the defense of the Russia Aerospace Forces base in Khmeimim was protected by three distinct zones: an immediate close one ranging to up to about 1km, a medium one ranging from about 1km through 5km and an external one ranging to about 5km through 40km. The interior one was protected by Russian forces. The 2nd, middle one, was protected by Syrians while the large one was protected by Russian air defenses. The first zone would be the one of small fire. The second one is the tricky one: in includes urban areas and was under Syrian control. That is were the incoming mortar fire came from. There is now a lot of criticism coming about letting the Syrians be in charge of zone 2, but I personally doubt that the Russian would have the manpower to cover it. Not only is the airbase itself very large, but if we project the perimeter of the base to a distance of 1km-5km that would be a huge area to secure. Zone 3 is securely covered by Russian air defenses. So the real solution is to get the Syrians to introduce a much stricter control regime in Zone 2. That will no doubt be done. Oh, and whether this is a coincidence or not, but Bashar al-Assad did reshuffle his cabinet and replaced the Defense Minister.
Saker
“the rockets were all intercepted and destroyed”
Interesting, Pantsir?
Yes, that is also my guess
The Saker
See Colonel Cassad, he has pictures.
Translated and paraphrased from a comment by the author in the comment thread: The enemy was (real) , the losses were (real) people and technology. “Kommersant” (exaggerated as it) only declared that damaged machines (aircraft) were destroyed.
Another comment notes that 10 aircraft were (at least slightly) damaged and 3 have already been repaired.
From mortar fire I’d expect a fair amount of the ‘damage’ to be shrapnel damage from nearby misses. Apply whatever is the Russian equivalent of “200 mph tape” and its not a hard repair to get the plane operational.
Sputnik clearly said so yesterday, that Pantsir took down all missiles except one that landed well off the air base.
Looking at Tass (which from memory is semi-official Govt) it seems to be the latter a “big exaggeration”:
http://tass.com/world/983993
“Two military servicemen were killed in the December 31 mortar shelling of the Hmeymim airbase in Syria by militants, the Russian Defense Ministry reported on Thursday.
“On December 31, 2017, at nightfall, the Hmeymim airfield came under a sudden mortar fire from a mobile militant subversive group. Two military servicemen were killed in the shelling,” the ministry said. Ministry also stated that reports on seven aircraft destroyed by militants at the Hmeymim airbase in Syria on December 31 are not true. “A report in the Kommersant newspaper on the alleged destruction of seven Russian warplanes at the Hmeymim airbase is fake. Russia’s air group in Syria is combat ready and continues to accomplish all its missions in full,” the ministry said…….”
The elections are soon……Jihadist forces are collapsing in Syria’s Idlib….
My sympathies to those who loved these two servicemen.
Sometimes its easy to focus on the bigger pictures, and forget that for at least some people this was a tragic loss.
This was reported in the Kommersant according to South Front but the results of the shelling vary widely.
Definitely looks like something happened.
It might smth. happened , but not what South Front delivered.
Russian Defense Ministry has said, that reports of seven jets being destroyed were “fake news.”
“Kommersant “, a “Foreign Agent ” is not worth of quoting .
Russia has all means to secure it’s bases in Syria .
As always – a zionist lie.
It is a show of penetration.
Some kind of trogan horse next?
That attempted grab and subsequent all guns blazing rescue at the observation post floats back into the mind.
Perhaps it’s a signal that the nastier ones are back in play. A jab as it were. A tap on the chin. An attempt at dialog.
Kommersant is a fith column paper,no credibility.
Kommersant is a yellow tabloid, it took this fake news from the famous fake news outlet ”Debka files”.
Agreed. It’s a minor incident, probably a one-time-only, and probably by a marginal player in the region. Sometimes these things slip through.
So far I’ve seen no photos with proven provenance. One photo extant shows a small hole in a fuselage with a clear fluid coming out. There is one bomb visible on the airframe well below the hole. Second photo shows damage to the right rear wing of a different airframe. This damage could have come from air defense of the knuckleheads during a mission or from collision damage on the airfield.
No craters visible in the photos in the vicinity of the aircraft. No shrapnel damage visible on the aircraft. No flash burns and debris on the aircraft and no debris visible in either of the two photos.
Conclusion: Something happened. Two pilots were listed as killed when their chopper ‘hit electric wires while on escort duty’ on or about 31 December, no time of day listed. MoD stated that 2 personnel were wounded in an attack. ‘We’ will never know exactly what happened, it’s call ‘Operational security’.
You can not stop a determined attacker who may have a modicum of support from locals or fifth columnists in the AO. Things like this do happen. This airfield was originally a civilian facility, not military, and as such does not have hardened shelters for the aircraft. Proof will be in the pudding if and when hardened revetments appear to protect the aircraft.
Auslander
Author
Never The Last One http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ZGCY8KK A Deep Look In To Russia, Her Culture And Her Armed Forces
An Incident On Simonka https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ERKH3IU NATO Is Invited To Leave Sevastopol, One Way Or The Other.
A four km deep zone around a base, which includes an urban area, would be very difficult area in which to completely stop this sort of attack.
I feel like I’ve heard of terrorists using a technique of putting a mortar in a car or a van. Then you can arrange some sort of automatic fire mechanism on it. Or, if you have a willing suicidal fanatic, they can operate it manually until the security detachments arrive and kill them. Either way, its not hard to sneak in and set up a mortar somewhere in that zone and then deliver some inaccurate, non-corrected fire on a big target like an airbase.
I would suspect that the attack was from two seperate teams. The MRLs were likely furhter away as they have much longer ranges than a mortar.
Taken in context:
1) RNK to hold talks with South Korea Jan 9. US is not invited.
2) Color revolution against Iran is mostly beige and fading fast.
3) Nikki Haley reduced to holding a party for people who did not actively vote against US/Israel.
4) YPG/SDF/Centcom asked for Russian help clearing ISIS from al-Tanf. Russia said, “No thank you.”
5) An attack upon an airbase in Latakia that was deflected except for a few mortars.
It occurs to me as though the assets that were to have inflicted real damage were not up to the job. This might have something to do with the fact that the SAA campaign in Idlib is approaching a tipping point.
It occurs to me that Sauron is running out of ways to torment Hobbits (Syria) and Elves (Russia).
4) Why didn’t Russia want to help them?
A more relevant question would be, “Why does Centcom need help?”
Yeah, true. There is more to this than meets the eye. Does anyone have an answer?
The gang of terrorists wants to drag Russia into the war.
Russia : ” No,thank you. Do it yourself,and die yourself “
I’m going full paranoid speculative with this. “Why did Centcom ask for help clearing ISIS.”
My totally speculative answer is that the reformulated ISIS/HTS/AOTD (alphabet of the day) fighters are no longer useful to Centcom. Russia wisely has pulled back from widespread engagement (though still with advisors embedded) but someone at Centcom who does not have his head up her posterior (or vice versa) figured out that this AOTD proxy army is now in the way.
Easy come ($$$) easy go (just get the Russians to kill them).
Except the SAA and Russia said, figuratively, “Nope, you brought them here, you have to deal with them.” This leaves Centcom with the sticky option either killing its own proxy army, or of finding someplace to send them.
My guess would be that they applied their own version of Gen. Powell’s Pottery Barn Doctrine … you broke it, you pay for it.
In other words, I’d suspect they said something like they weren’t going to spend money and risk Russian lives to fix a problem the US created.
Sources for this please, or it’s total bullshit: ) YPG/SDF/Centcom asked for Russian help clearing ISIS from al-Tanf. Russia said, “No thank you.”
US twice attacked Syrian and Iranian militia for entering their 50 km zone around al-Tanf. Both attacks were deadly.
I haven’t seen a word about this request for “help”. Source it or self-refute it.
It is the most contentious zone on the southern border.
This is where the US is training their new proxy army.
From Southfront:
https://southfront.org/syrian-war-report-january-5-2018-militants-retreat-from-more-villages-in-southern-idlib/
.. which was mirrored here Jan 5
(begin quote) Syrian War Report – January 5, 2018: Militants Retreat From More Villages In Southern Idlib
…
The pro-opposition media outlet Hammurabi’s Justice News reported that the SAA and Russia had rejected a US-led coalition request for an assistance in securing the 55km zone around the US military base at At-Tanf in southeastern Syria.
If this is true, the report confirms that the US-led coalition and its proxies had done almost nothing to combat ISIS in the area controlled by them near At-Tanf and are still not able to do this without an additional assistance. (end quote)
I agree it is where US (Centcom) is training their new proxy army. I agree it is the most contentious area.
See:
/syrian-war-report-january-5-2018-militants-retreat-from-more-villages-in-southern-idlib/#comment-471777
What we have here, and in Iran, is an engineered process of trying to disrupt the presidential elections in Russia and trying to discredit President Putin’s foreign policy endeavors, trying to make him less popular. It won’t work. However, Western intelligence agencies and NGO’s which they control will still go on with subversion, as they have no choice. This is their last chance to remove President Putin from the Presidents Office and try installing a puppet. The attempt will fail.
Don’t they understand by now that Mr Putin is absolutely the best deal the West could possibly hope for? If he goes (for any reason) his replacement as President would surely be far tougher on the West.
That is so not a cinch. Like who? Zhirinovsky? He is a troll for hire, and a totally cynical man, a lier who has run, half-assed, in all presidential elections since 1991, never intending to actually win. The communists? They are a fake communist party established after the Union went down for the sole purpose of letting off popular steam. God forbid these people win. They are the worst capitalists at heart. No other runners-up in sight, and these don’t count.
Remember how Putin came to Power? Who has heard of him before that?
The same will happen one day, with his successor. I believe things are already in place for this to happen.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Putin even does not finish a full term.
Putin is the worst possible deal for the ziocons. Any replacement would probably be far more aggressive, lead to more confrontation and division, which is exactly what they want. Russia needs to play the patience game and keep open contacts, waiting while the Empire is devouring itself out of existence. Remember, “keep your friends close and enemies closer”.
At this point Mr. Putin appears to be experienced in his job and confident in his abilities.
With a new replacement, its likely there would be at least a bit of a disruption as the new person goes through the learning curve of how to do this rather unique job and also how to daily deal with the empire’s constant provocations.
In the US, they claim that the world will always ‘test’ a new President. This makes my blood curdle, because it really means that a new President has to go kill a bunch of people to prove how tough he/she is. Since the US thinks this way, It is rather likely that the US would try to test a new Russian President.
My issue with this theory is that in the real world it usually has the opposite effect.
Most countries tend to rally ’round a leader when troops are involved in combat.
In several American elections, there has been talk of an October Surprise in that an incumbent President might engineer an engagement of American troops, and be willing to take a few casualties, because they believe that this would increase the candidate’s popularity with American voters.
The only way this theory would work would be if the Russian voters were upset at the deployment of Russian troops in Syria. If the Russian public was reacting to Syria similarly to how the US public reacted to Vietnam, then perhaps this engagement might harm Mr. Putin. But I get the opposite sense of the situation. I’ll admit I don’t have any propaganda free sources on Russian opinion, but everything I seem to hear and sense says that the Russian voters are happy and a bit proud of what Mr. Putin has done in Syria. And again, an attack like this in that situation would only tend to raise Mr. Putin’s popularity.
The range of the MLRS is significant distance, but it is defeated by Pantsir-1s.
82mm mortars set up on trucks are mobile and require expertise to roll to a firing spot that can be highly successful. Several instances of this technique have been employed against Russian and Syrian targets before.
Aleppo, the field hospital where two medical workers and one Colonel were killed early in the war.
Deir ez Zor where one Russian general and two Colonels were killed, and the great Syrian general, hero of liberating Deir ez Zor, was killed.
These were all mortar kills. Thus, only the naive would think the US and Israel had nothing to do with deadly, “one time” mortar kill attacks of such value targets.
Like the mortar attacks on Benghazi CIA base, they were “remarkably” accurate on the rooftops where the special operators were fighting from.
Lucky? Hardly. These all are planned, led and executed by the Hegemon.
They serve geopolitical goals, not just tactical strikes. That’s the dead giveaway of who and how.
Attacking Latakia makes great sense for Israel and the demonic CIA-CENTCOM. It works for them in many ways. It doesn’t stop the RF aerospace. New planes are airlifted in 24 hours. But getting some photos that embarrass Putin and bolster the spirits of the soon to be liquidated proxies is imperative.
And Bibi needs a “win” against Putin. Some way for him to show he can hurt Putin and Russia for when he next meets and makes his demands. (A meeting is announced and due soon.)
This year, an inevitable low intensity war of body bags, will mark the Syrian War v. 2.0.
The US only makes exits when the body bags pile up. They have openly targeted Russians throughout the war. Russia will have to repay in kind.
L445
I also think it was an israeloamerican/nato special forces, or a group lead by them who carried out the attack.
Bet the poor dears didn’t expect the Russian defenses would be able to knock out the incoming rockets, probably was quite a shock to them, given the total failure of iron dome against Palestinian rockets.
Bibi will be begging for some Russian Domes soon.
What gets me is we have Russian bases attacked which are located in Syria by invitation of the legal Government,the ILLEGAL bases of the US are not attacked,its about time they were and Russia should be on the offensive against the Empire,they react but should be more proactive,those US forces should have been attacked the moment they set foot in Syria.
This a serious point you have raised. It also goes to show that the US presence is not resented as much as the alternative media portray. As a matter of fact, US troops are all over the world, and nowhere are they attacked except in rare and minor instances. The strength of the US empire derives out of its ability to control the narrative, and thereby peoples’ perceptions and beliefs. This is a game that the Russians have not learnt to play, unfortunately.Consequently, the Russian’s brave victories are forgotten or overlooked – even turned into defeats. This is what seems to be going on here.
There is a difference between not being resented and <being blackmailed into silence. In the current situation, Russia, along with Iran, China and sometimes Turkey, are try to build something, namely a secure transportation corridor through a stable nation. The US is sought to destroy the nation of Syria, and having failed, is playing the role of spoiled child who trashes the playground.
If the US controls the narrative, as you say, please explain why the UN vote re: moving the embassy to Jerusalem went so badly.
I don’t know about ‘rare and minor instances’, as the airbase in Afghanistan seems to be attacked on a fairly regular basis.
Nope, I don’t think it was US/NATO/Israeli SF.
They would instead to recruit some fanatical people to go take the risks for them. They might have supplied the weapons. They might have conducted some training on how to operate the weapons. But when it came to the attack, they would rather let others take the risks.
While I am inclined to think that the mortar crews had some very good training from someone with a professional level of competence in mortar gunnery, what these crews were able to accomplish did not require US/NATO, IDF/SAS or Special Forces to train them. Furthermore, the technology and skills required to conduct this raid were known and practiced as far back as WW II. Still, the attackers needed some luck for them to achieve the results that they did.
Given that the location and dimensions of the Russian airbase is well known, the critical information needed is where, within that base area, the Russian planes were parked. Human observations, made sporadically over a period of a number of days and times of day, would be enough to makes such an attack worth the risk.
With this information plus the map coordinates of their selected firing positions, mortar gunners could calculate the powder charges and angle of fire needed to hit this area within 10 meters of the target. A US Army 81mm mortar has a maximum range of 7 kilometers, using conventional ammunition. In order to hit a target within 10 meters, however, that range is reduced to 5 kilometers.
Sometimes you just have to give credit to the courage and competence of your adversaries. Also, since the attack occurred on New Year’s Eve, perhaps the Russians and the surrounding security forces were not quite at the top of their game.
Yes, it is very important that the suckers…um, people be educated that israeloamerica is seen as sweet innocent babes. Therefore, promote a bs line that excludes israeloamerican culpability.
Yeah, I get the picture, seen it spammed all over and so long, how could I not.
vot tak,
I am an ardent anti-Zionist. Jews would describe me as an anti-Semite. I oppose hegemony regardless of whichever entity is trying to establish it. I am actually cheering for the Russians and hope that they will succeed in breaking up the current world order.
But, I repeat:
“Sometimes you just have to give credit to the courage and competence of your adversaries. Also, since the attack occurred on New Year’s Eve, perhaps the Russians and the surrounding security forces were not quite at the top of their game.”
The Russians are professionals. Not only am I sure that they are making the corrections so that this particular tactic will be thwarted in the future. There will be a heavy price to be paid. That no group has taken credit for this raid should surprise no one. No one wants to suffer the consequences of the oncoming Russian retaliation.
Cheers,
Arthur
P.S. I apologize for the mistake in range (It has been more than 40 years since I left the service.) the “pinpoint” target range for the 81mm mortar was more like 3.5 kilometers; and the max range for area targets was 5 kilometers.
You were trained to use mortars and mlrs in a simultaneous attack, from different attack points? By whom?
That is the point, whoever carried out the attack didn’t learn how to do it watching a “how to” youtube video. They had training and direction from professionals. Now who would those professionals be?
The jihadists have been fighting in Syria for six years now. Six years into a war, I’m guessing there’s a few people around who are pretty good at firing a mortar.
Coordinating such an attack requires some very high tech equipment known as a wrist watch. Crews would know in advance the approximate travel time of a rocket from the planned firing range. The mortar team then knows to start firing X minutes after the planned launch time from the MRLs. Again, its six years into a war, so I’m guessing this is not the first time they’ve done this.
So, true. My father told me a story from WWII. His group trapped German convoy. My father and his partner, operator of heavy machine gun were shooting at the German soldiers dismounting from the trucks. They could see Germans preparing their mortars. Needless to say, the first round landed near them, forcing them to leave the spot. The second round landed precisely in the spot they were shooting from.
Video from Khemimin airport today according to Ruptly
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOHhmjUYC5Y
Notice the number 29 aircraft! It is flying.
It could have be filmed before as well… Given that this video is published by Ruptly, I think, the Russians are vaguely pointing that parts of the story may be false. Confusing! Waiting for further analysis by the Saker.
China will have to enter Afghanistan. These 1.4 million returnees will overwhelm us nato control balance. It is believed by some that China is allotted a role in Armageddon. Some see in China the 200 myriads of myriads of Revelations. Quite a number of American fundamentalist Christians do already hold that conclusion or are at least primed to jump to that conclusion.
The puppetting of Armageddon.
https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-01-05/chaos-strikes-14-million-afghans-have-30-days-leave-pakistan
http://uawire.org/the-kremlin-accused-the-us-of-being-connected-to-attack-on-the-khmeimim-russian-military-base-in-syria
gv
The catastrophic meltdown of its ridiculously expensive proxy forces in Syria will haunt the Jewish Mafia for years to come. Anger management has never been its strength. Like toddlers whose nervous system is still ‘under construction’, autistic mafiosi need instant gratifications or they overheat and burn their circuits. Kicking tables, cursing the sky, abusing wife and children, detonating mortars just for the heck of it – these patent losers won’t be able to calm down just yet.
History is a funny thing, human psychology too.
The Bay of Pigs fiasco had impacts on American politics and psychology for a long time after it occurred.
Video of the airbase today. Su-22 ’29’ is flying operationally so weither it wasn’t hit or they replaced a full starboard elevator and repaired all internal shrapnel damage within a few days.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOHhmjUYC5Y
That’s an Su-24. Su-17/22s are no longer operated by the Russian Air Force.
What is happening at the airbase? Looks like someone is testing the Russian defence at the Airport
https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/breaking-russian-air-defense-intercepts-unknown-object-hmaymim-airbase/
Maybe Russia should strengthen their defence there if something is about to happen or is this just fake news?
The video doesn´t say anything , I dont even understand what I see
So the Americans, who armed and sponsored jihadist terror groups against Syria, now are asking the Russians for help in fighting these jihadists.
The depths of American imperial arrogance and entitlement are so off the charts that the United States increasingly resembles the deranged sociopaths usually found in maximum security mental facilities–or in the Pentagon, CIA, Congress, and White House. ;-)
I’ve come to realize that Americans do not tell the truth about anything. They manipulate, lie, and destroy. They are incapable of being straight and honest. So, asking for help with jihadis near Al-Tanf is not them asking for help with Jihadis near Al-Tanf. It’s something else. It is always something else whenever the US speaks. I always ask myself, when the US says something, what are they up to? Usually, you know, it’s simply saying that it’s Russia who just did what the US just did – simple stuff – but sometimes it’s not so simple. I mean, they work full time at making stuff up, so sometimes it requires thought to figure out their scheme/scam.
I’m struggling with this, myself. FWIW, I’m American and the vast majority of my cohorts (basically European stock with some E. Asian) tell the truth, mostly. What you perceive as congenital liars are the sub-set that make up the Anglo-Zionist empire.
As for the suspicious request for help with al-Tanf, I thought it was a request to get Russia to do Centcom’s dirty work. Given the rash of nuisance attacks in Latakia, I now think it may have been a case of ‘gin up a reason for rebels to attack the airbase.’ Except Putin had already announced a draw-down of troops. I wonder if he had had intelligence that this was coming.
There is a pampered over-class in this country of managers and decision makers who cannot tell the truth, much less even know what it looks like. When the 5 stages commence, they will be surprised to see the peasants, with their pitchforks and torches. American has never been a peaceful place, and the resentment just below the surface is enormous, as is the support Trump continues to receive.
“What you perceive as congenital liars are the sub-set that make up the Anglo-Zionist empire.”
Yes, of course, that’s the group I meant. US leadership, not the American people. The American people don’t have a voice, since they are taught in school to not think. How can a person speak if there’s no thought? I digress.
It sounds like the “pampered over-class” is the 1% who do the dirty work for the banking families. Not being able to perceive the truth is a useful characteristic for folks who work for the banking cartel. No thinking required… just do what you’re told. (Kill, steal, say Russia did it… or Iran… or China…. etc…)
Missile Attack on Khmeimim Air Base: Russia’s concern over the militants’ use of missiles
https://news.cgtn.com/news/3d416a4e30634464776c6d636a4e6e62684a4856/share.html
Note the dates: 2017-12-29.
“The Russian Foreign Ministry has condemned an attempted missile attack on the Khmeimim Air Base in Syria. Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova raised the issue of how the missiles were obtained.
MARIA ZAKHAROVA RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESWOMAN “Moscow is of course very concerned with the provocation of terrorists. The Russian military are safely protected by multi-level anti-aircraft defense, which proved its high level of reliability again in this case. What concerns us is that the terrorists have been getting new kinds of weapons that allow them to carry out such raids.”
It was said Wednesday’s attack was carried out by militants. Maria Zakharova said Russian forces managed to intercept two of the projectiles, using the Pantsir anti-aircraft system. A third one deviated from course and failed to reach its destination.”
Was there an additional rocket attack on the 31st, coordinated with the mortar attack, or is there some confusion about mixing together 2 separate attacks on different days? The Sputnik and RT articles I saw mentioned mortars being involved, but neither said anything about rockets.
See also:
Russian Pantsir-S1 Air-Defense System Intercepted Grad Rockets Over Khmeimim Air Base (Photos)
https://southfront.org/russian-pantsir-s1-air-defense-system-intercepted-grad-rockets-over-khmeimim-air-base-photos/
“On December 27, a Pantsir-S1 short range air-defense system deployed at Russia’s Khmeimim airbase successfully intercepted at least two Grad rockets, according to Syrian pro-government sources.
Syrian opposition activists reported that the rockets were fired from an area around the twoon of Bidama in the northwestern Idlib countryside. The Grad rockets were likely fired by one of the US-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) groups operating in Idlib governorate. These groups were supplied with Bulgarian-made rockets by the US and Saudi Arabia previously.
In response to the rocket attack, Russian warplanes conducted dozens of airstrikes on several positions of the FSA and Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in the area of Bidama and near the villages of Najiyeh, al-Saghr, al-Za’iniyah, according to Syrian oppositions activists.
The Russian Pantsir-S1 system had shown itself as a battle-proven weapon system to counter small and fast projectiles, as it was able to intercept Grad rockets multiple times in Syria, including three rockets that targeted Khmeimim airbase on March 29.
Unlike similar western systems that relay on expensive missiles equipped with inboard active seekers, the Russian system carries low cost radio-command-guided 57E6 surface-to-air missiles with an operational range of 20 km and flight altitude of 10 km.”
Thought as much (after observing Khmeimim airbase on Google Map). It’s difficult to secure from mortar attacks or any close range arty systems between 1-5km. You can’t do counter-battery for fear of hitting civilians, plus countering after the fact where the base had suffered damage is sort of pyhrric.
It’s obvious Khmeimim needs a CIWS umbrella for things that the Pantsir can’t shoot down. I’m just wondering if the Russian had anything in operation. A few months back LG Valery Asapov was killed by similar mortar attacks at a (forward?) command post, we see the same tricks repeated.
Imo, if they want to test any experimental anti-mortar CIWS, now’s a good time. Better to have something than nothing.
The US is planning to impose a Kurdish second Israel in Syria – from Sputnik:
“Washington is planning ‘concrete steps’ toward providing a Syrian Democratic Forces-controlled area in northern Syria’s eastern Euphrates area three times the size of Lebanon with diplomatic recognition, a leading Arabic international newspaper has reported.”
Except, we already know from the results of the Kurdish referrendum in Iraq that every country in the region hates the prospect of an independent and autonomous Kurdish region.
Turkey calls them terrorists. Syria will have the same reaction to people trying to set up a state in Syrian territory. Irag also hates the idea and had moved quickly to surpress the Kurds in Irag. For the same reasons as Turkey, they will not like the seed of a Kurdish state right on their borders. And Iran hated the idea and moved to stop it as well.
So, there is not a seaport in such an area, and no land routes. The US will set up some military air bases. But for instance that oil that they’ve been working so hard for the SDF to sieze will have no place to go, just like the Kirkuk oil had no place to go.
Iraq is the fascinating bit. At one point, Iraq had three groups involved in the government. The Shiites, the Sunnis and the Kurds. Obama/Clinton/Kerry moves to allow ISIS to form and fight Saddam blew up in their faces when ISIS instead went for Mosul and tried to drive to Baghdad. The end result is that now there is no real Sunni presence with influence in Iraq. And then Trump tried to split off the Kurds as a seperate state, and that put an end to the Kurdish influence in Iraq. Which leaves the Iraqi government dominated even more than in the past with the pro-Iranian Shiite forces, which have been forced even closer to Iran by the need to have help dealing with the Sunnis and then the Kurds. Betcha that’s not what the geniuses in DC wanted to have happen.
Had the initial report of very substantial damage been true, it would have been fairly conclusive proof of an attack ordered and supported by the CIA/Mossad with satellite intelligence and the works. As is, while I’m sure the weapons, plan, and at least some intelligence was provided the terrorists, it doesn’t appear to have been envisioned as an overwhelming attack. Perhaps it was more of a probe of defenses, and in particular may have been a test of the Pantsir system. With the US anti-missile systems continually proving to be sorely lacking in actual combat (as opposed to performance in rigged tests set up by the manufacturers), there may have been a desire to pit the Russian system against Scuds for analysis. It appears to have worked perfectly, no doubt to the chagrin of the US. I have often thought several of the instances of US and Israeli provocations were deliberate attempts to draw out the mighty S-400, in order to attempt to glean more about its abilities, but the Russians have (so far as I know) refused to show that card, instead allowing the Syrians to embarrass the Anglozionists with S-200s.
As to the bizarre request for assistance around al-Tanf, whatever the reason for the request the Russians were wise to decline. There could be no up-side for them, and plenty of opportunities for traps. Of course, it could simply be that all the terrorists the US had gathered to them there for training have turned out to be useless, trapped in a pocket in the middle of the desert as they are, and may even be getting unruly if the flow of money, drugs, and guns from their sponsors is indeed starting to trail off. Or it could be anticipated high casualties in the refugee camp which the US has refused to aid. Regardless, the US should be left to clean up their mess themselves.
Lastly, I will just say that while I expect Putin’s announcement of “withdrawal” from Syria (obviously not to include personnel manning the new and expanded air and naval bases) was mostly for domestic, pre-election consumption, it has crossed my mind that a dual purpose might be to get some of these battle hardened and razor sharp troops and airmen back home in anticipation of action in the Ukraine, should Poroshenko continue to escalate. Russian intelligence could even be aware of an attack planned for this period before the election, complete with all the new armaments from the US which seemed to have arrived just in time for such an event. I certainly wouldn’t be shocked.
Dear Saker, an article of significant importance.
There is no going back. We tread the path to Armageddon.
http://www.fort-russ.com/2018/01/messianism-and-imperialism.html?m=1
Sputniknews reports that also drones have been used: https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201801081060595102-russia-drone-attack-hmeimim/
“A technical analysis of the captured drones revealed that the terrorists are able to carry out attacks from a range of about 100 kilometers, the statement added. The Defense Ministry pointed out that the attempted attack marks the first time the terrorists have used modern guidance technologies on satellite GPS.”
The drones were carrying ´explosive devices´.
I have such a feeling that they are not of Iranian origine.
MSM journal has released reports of an aerial attack on a Russian military base in Syria 08 January 18
Militants launched their assault during the night on Saturday, the ministry said in a statement. The Russian Kheimim Airbase in the Syrian Latakia province was attacked by 10 unmanned combat aerial vehicles, while three more attempted a strike against the Russian maritime logistics base located in the city of Tartus.
All of the drones were detected by anti-aircraft defense systems “at a considerable distance from the Russian military objects,” the ministry said. Seven of them were then successfully shot down by the Russian Panzir-S air-defence system.
The Russian radio electronic warfare specialists also managed to override the operating systems of six more drones, and eventually gained control over the UAVs. Three of them were destroyed when they hit the ground, while another three were landed intact outside the base controlled by Russian forces.
The ministry also confirmed that the attack had resulted in no casualties among Russian military personnel, and the two bases “continue to operate as normal.”
It was the “first time that terrorists massively used unmanned combat aerial vehicles of an aircraft type that were launched from a distance of more than 50 kilometers, and operated using GPS satellite navigation coordinates,” the ministry said in a statement.
The country’s specialists are now examining the seized unmanned aircraft and the recovered data has already allowed the specialists to pinpoint the exact location from which the drones were launched. The examination also showed that advanced technologies were used in the drones’ construction. They “could have been obtained only from a country possessing state-of-the-art technologies, including satellite navigation and remote control of … explosive devices [for] release at certain coordinates.”
It further added that detonators used in the militants’ Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) were “of foreign manufacture.” These facts indicate that the extremists were supplied with technologies allowing them to carry out terrorist attacks using UAVs in any country, the ministry warned.
The ministry also said that the attack caused no casualties among the Russian military personnel and that the two bases “continue to operate as normal.” The incident comes about a week after the Kheimim air base was subjected to mortar shelling on December 31, 2017, an attack that claimed lives of two military personnel.
A MSM report: Published time: 8 Jan, 2018 14:58 Edited time: 8 Jan, 2018 16:28 https://tinyurl.com/y8ttt6gz
So, Russia captured and safely landed three drones. And three other drones were captured, but crashed after they were under Russian control.
Please, please, please let them publish pictures of the drones. Including the crashed ones, which should be at least intact enough to know what drones they were.
Along with the pictures, please let the publish model numbers, serial numbers or anything else of use in identifying and back-tracking how these drones ended up in the hands of terrorists.
So, far, the Russian MOD has only said that they came from a ‘technically advanced state’. While the US Pentagon is already putting out cover stories and saying that such drones could have been purchased ‘on the open market’.
Well, that’s one excuse. Of course, it will still be interesting to know who made these drones. And if they have serial numbers, which they should on the ones they captured intact, then it should be possible to know who they were sold to, where they were shipped, when they were shipped, who took charge of them when they were shipped etc.
Of course, that bastion of freedom known as the Pentagon will stonewall, block, deflect, obscure, obstruct anyone knowing the truth, and will tell big packs of outright lies about all of this. But even that is useful in many ways. And will serve to put them on the record, even if its only alternative media and foreign media that pays any attention.
The end result is that on the Pentagon books, these will become more of the billions and billions of tax payer dollars of stuff that they magically can’t account for. But its still useful to learn what we can learn, and the very lies that the Pentagon tells are also useful in that they tend to reveal at least parts of the truth and its always useful know exactly what they lied about and how.
The global mass media, this morning, mumbled all around who might be the perpetrator/s of today’s attack, but this was laughably unnecessary. The world knows. However, it will be interesting to learn just what Russia finds in their examination of any jewish/american ordinance that has fallen into their hands. And, in the meantime, let’s hope that a brutal retaliation is in the making.
January 4, 2018 at 3:35 pm
fingerprinting:
Iran’s prosecutor general claims that the US, Israel and Saudi Arabia have colluded in order to foment violent unrest in the country, IRNA agency reports.
Mohammad Jafar Montazeri directly named a CIA official, Michael D’Andrea as the mastermind and “main designer” of the protests that have rocked Iran.
Iranian Top Prosecutor Accuses US, Israel and Saudi Arabia of Staging Protests
https://tinyurl.com/y8nr8hg4
CIA Counter terrorism Chief Michael D’Andrea?
https://tinyurl.com/pakqztm
Michael D’Andrea, CIA Iran Chief, Named
https://tinyurl.com/y75oru9y
the CIA’s ‘Undertaker’ Michael D’Andrea
https://tinyurl.com/y95lsg2m
Sources: https://tinyurl.com/y7yqag56
Russia Warn US Against Interfering in Iran’s ‘Domestic Affairs’
Carol Adl News, World January 5, 2018
https://tinyurl.com/ybl927mv
Russia Warn US Against Interfering in Iran’s ‘Domestic Affairs’ Carol Adl News, World January 5, 2018
https://tinyurl.com/ybl927mv
USA: A Different Strategy For A Different Ambition 09.01.2018 Author: Christopher Black
https://tinyurl.com/yd9jaxso
Russian army repels attack by 13 militant drones on its Syrian compounds
https://www.veteranstoday.com/2018/01/08/russian-army-repels-attack-by-13-militant-drones-on-its-syrian-compounds/
а вот есть такое мнение
Вы понимаете – к нашему Рождеству , они послали нашим офицерам тринадцать демонов , несущих смерть .
Дети Дьявола.
Мдяя…западлиды в жырнейшай дирьме , щас наши разбирут фсё по винтикам, разложут на атомы и квантовыя илименты ухаха ой заштомине сие Притставляю рожы мышовых гиниралаф и гироиф и прочих гиниралисимусаф всяво ухаха ой ой ой …Сие проста праздник какой та . Сие Бог нам на Рождество еще хорошенько помог …
Полосатый мнению передал :
Кто по ебальнику получит, того и беспилотники.
https://catmotya.blogspot.ca/2018/01/blog-post_8.html#comment-form
Latest on Sputnik https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201801091060620442-us-spy-aircraft-russian-bases-syria/
An American US Navy spy plane was flying a patrol between the bases during the drone attack.
Several of my speculations as to what it might have been doing.
1) confirming the targets were still there and hadn’t moved. After all, these pesky Russian bases have a habit of picking up and moving just when a good fascist has the attacks all planned out. :)
2) Monitoring the attack and how it proceeded. How many drones got through? That sort of thing. Of course this supposes that the USN knew about the attack in advance.
3) Militaries always like to see how their enemies respond to an attack. Such planes are designed to pick up communications and radar emission data. So, the USN would have been very interested in observing the Pantsir system in operation as it shot down the drones. Likewise they’d have been very, very, very interested in what the Russian EW teams did to capture and defeat the drones. Even just picking up the comms and knowing who called who during the attack would reveal some of the command structure of the Russian forces.
Again, this supposes that the USN knew about the attack in advance.
4) Drone control relay station. Could the USN plane have been acting as a relay station allowing drone operators in Utah to control those drones? Ie, the role of the terrorists is simply to launch the drones and get them airborne. After that, the drones are flown by the trained operators in Utah or perhaps Germany? This of course would mean that the US militiary was a lot more than just ‘aware’ of the attack, but had an active operational role pre-planned in the attack.
Russian Forces Eliminated Group Of Militants Responsible For Mortar Attack On Hmeimim Airbase (Videos)
#RUSSIA #SYRIA 12.01.2018 – 7,750 views
https://tinyurl.com/ydfd756c