THE POLITICO-MILITARY ASPECTS OF RUSSIAN ENGAGEMENT IN THE SYRIAN CIVIL WAR

Abstract

The Civil War that erupted in Syria in 2011 has become a critical conflict in the Middle East, leading to the political and military involvement of the Russian Federation, the U.S., Turkey and other regional powers. Russia’s direct engagement against the opposition fighting the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has proved to be a game-changer, contributing to the fight against extremist movements, namely ISIS and other similar organizations. The conflict has highlighted the confrontation of interests among the nations involved (especially Russia and the U.S.) and the Russian desire to be recognized again as a global player. For the Russian armed forces, it has provided an opportunity to train its soldiers in combat and to test weapon systems in the conditions of real warfare. With its involvement in Syria, Russia has also gained access to the Mediterranean and the opportunity to extend the reach of its anti-access/area denial weapons systems and to verify the effectiveness of various war tactics and procedures still under development.