Russia faces strategic setback as Syrian ally crumbles
As the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, states that the "Syrian situation is not Russia's failure" Russians find themselves under pressure. Here's an overview of what the Russian forces held in Syria.
In an unexpected turn of events, a successful offensive by rebel groups in Syria resulted in the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime, which was Russia's only regional ally aside from Iran. This defeat represents a significant loss for Russia, which has lost an operational base that facilitated its operations in places like Africa.
Currently, the Russian forces are stationed at the Khmeimim airbase and the port in Tartus, surrounded by rebel groups. The Russians are trying to negotiate with the new authority, but it seems likely that they will achieve nothing more than a withdrawal. The video below shows instances of the rebels' hostility towards the Russians, as their vehicles are targeted with stones.
Recently, the BBC reported that heavy transport planes like the AN-124 and Il-76 have been arriving at the Khmeimim airbase to retrieve military equipment located on the tarmac.
What the Syrian contingent of Russians possessed
Most of the Russian forces in recent years consisted of light equipment, including Tigr vehicles used by Special Forces and the Wagner Group, or its remnants, along with aircraft stationed at the Khmeimim airbase. This setup was supported by the base's air defenses, which featured a battery of the S-400 Triumph anti-aircraft system, supplemented by Podlet-K1 radars and Pantsir-S1 systems.
Strike aircraft such as the Su-24 and Su-30/35 have already been evacuated, leaving only transport planes at the airbase. Elements of the S-400 Triumph system battery, which are more valuable for Russia on its own or Ukrainian territory, may also be withdrawn. These systems are theoretically supposed to protect against ballistic missiles like the MGM-140 ATACMS, but past experiences suggest they struggle with this task.
The Podlet-K1 radars are specialized in detecting challenging targets flying at low altitudes, such as small drones or cruise missiles like the Storm Shadow.
What remains are mostly trucks and light expedition vehicles, which are not suitable for large-scale warfare in Ukraine. However, they are better than nothing. In this area, Russians face significant shortages and resort to substitutes such as the UAZ-452 Buchanka minibuses.
