Russian
Military Uses Syria as Proving Ground, and West Takes Notice |
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Remade Under Putin, Forces Show Might Not Seen in the Post-Soviet Era | |
By STEVEN LEE MYERS and ERIC SCHMITT | |
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2015 | |
....WASHINGTON — Two weeks of air and missile
strikes in Syria have given Western intelligence and military officials
a deeper appreciation of the transformation that Russia's military has
undergone under President Vladimir V. Putin, showcasing its ability to
conduct operations beyond its borders and providing a public demonstration
of new weaponry, tactics and strategy.
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....The strikes have involved aircraft never
before tested in combat, including the Sukhoi Su-34 strike fighter, which
NATO calls the Fullback, and a ship-based cruise missile fired more than
900 miles from the Caspian Sea, which, according to some analysts, surpasses
the American equivalent in technological capability. |
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....Russia's
jets have struck in support of Syrian ground troops advancing from areas
under the control of the Syrian government, and might soon back an Iranian-led
offensive that appeared to be forming in the northern province of Aleppo
on Wednesday. That coordination reflects what American officials described
as months of meticulous planning behind Russia's first military campaign
since the dissolution of the Soviet Union outside former Soviet borders. |
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