Machine translation from this source:
Tu-22M3 and MiG-31 K with Dagger missiles were transferred to Syria to participate in exercises of the Russian Navy
The Russian Defense Ministry reported that the crews of the VKS performed a flight from the points of deployment, having overcome more than 1.5 thousand km.
MOSCOW, February 15. /tass/. Tu-22M3 and MiG-31K long-range aircraft with Dagger missiles have been transferred to the Khmeimim airbase in Syria to participate in naval exercises of the Navy in the Mediterranean Sea. This was reported by the Russian Defense Ministry on Tuesday.
“The Tu-22M3 and MiG-31K long-range aircraft with the Dagger aviation complex have been relocated to the Khmeimim airfield (SAR) to participate in the naval exercise of the Navy’s inter-fleet grouping in the eastern Mediterranean. The crews of the Russian Air Force performed a flight from the points of deployment, having overcome more than 1.5 thousand km. During the exercise, long-range aviation pilots will have to perform tasks according to their intended purpose,” the ministry said.
As previously reported in the press service of the 6th fleet of the US Navy, from 6 to 7 February 2022, three aircraft carrier strike groups of NATO countries met in the Mediterranean Sea at once. A group of US Navy ships was led by the aircraft carrier Harry Truman, the French fleet was led by the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, and the Italian Navy was represented by the aircraft carrier Conte di Cavour. The combined squadron included a large number of ships and support vessels, as well as naval aviation groups.
It looks to me that all the recent Russian wargames are designed to achieve at least 2 purposes. First and foremost to place NATO on notice about the readiness of the Russian military to enforce their stated red lines. Secondly it is showing to all Europeans (and the rest of the World) that the NATO alliance is anachronistic and no more than a toothless paper tiger. NATO can bark but cannot block or veto Russian assertive moves and muscle flexing. By removing some troops from Belarus while sending Dagger missiles to Syria, Russia deflates the Ukraine invasion hysteria. Yet, Russia continues to hold a red hot sword against NATO but this time farther away from the Ukrainian Black Sea shores.
@ Sun Tzu,
Sadly in the Med Sea it is NATO who by far hold the upper hand.
Removed. You have already made your comment in the previous thread. Mod.
Your assertion doesn’t make it so.
I do not think the Med sea is the aim herebut the illegal US/Nato basis in syrian territory.
Oscar, the Daggers RF just deployed into Syria is designed to be anti-ship but it can be used against land targets. There are 3 aircraft carrier battle groups in the Adriatic Sea. 1xUSAN + 1xUK + 1xItaly Their combined aircraft payload threaten Russia’s Western neighbourhood.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SyYgsavBL9o/W4wbfmrFjeI/AAAAAAAAB0I/5cZ7An623msb6rpoCxwg9UmIvZ-ktVo0wCPcBGAYYCw/s944/Syria-force.png
Oscar, the Dagger missile that RF just deployed in Syria was designed as an antiship weapon although it could be also used against land targets. NATO has deployed 3 aircraft carrier battle groups to the Adriatic Sea from where the warplanes can threaten the RF’s Western neighbourhood. The Dagger’s range can be effective countermeasure. Look at this geographic image covering the Eastern Mediterranean, Black Sea theatre
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SyYgsavBL9o/W4wbfmrFjeI/AAAAAAAAB0I/5cZ7An623msb6rpoCxwg9UmIvZ-ktVo0wCPcBGAYYCw/s944/Syria-force.png
Technical measures
https://www.kitco.com/news/2022-02-16/Foreign-tech-firms-without-Russian-offices-face-advertising-ban-within-weeks.html
Greetings and Compliments from Greece!