Can Russia transfer troops from Syria to Ukraine: Expert's explanation
illustrative photo: Russia may transfer troops from Syria to Ukraine (Getty Images)
It is currently unknown exactly how many Russian soldiers were in Syria. It is likely to be a contingent of several thousand, states military expert Ivan Stupak in a comment to the RBC-Ukraine YouTube channel.
According to the expert, there are indeed concerns that the Russian Federation may transfer its air component from Syria to Ukraine. However, the exact number of these troops is not known.
"There is such a concern. Look, there is no precise data on how many were in Syria, but there are some isolated figures. For example, in terms of personnel, I have seen materials mentioning 2,000 to 4,000, and at most, 7,500 people — the Russian contingent in Syria. But we remember that they didn’t operate on the ground; they mainly carried out 'precision strikes' with 'precision weapons,'" said Stupak.
He explained that the Russian troops who were in Syria mainly operated from the air. These were pilots, as Syria reportedly had 20 aircraft and around 10 helicopters.
"Therefore, I assume — my personal assumption — that it is this air component that will be sent to the Ukrainian frontlines to reinforce Russia. So, it's not about assault aircraft. Although, they could send all the assault aircraft right away. For Russia, that wouldn't be a problem," emphasized the expert.
He also noted that Russia likely managed to negotiate with Türkiye for a corridor to move its equipment. However, this is a very fast corridor, designed to transport aircraft and helicopters.
"I don't know about the S-300, S-400 systems, whether they’ll be able to move them or not," the expert emphasized.
Toppling Bashar al-Assad's regime
In November, large-scale clashes broke out in Syria between the Islamist rebel group Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, the Syrian National Army, and the forces of Bashar al-Assad, who was supported by Russia and Iran.
Reuters reported that Türkiye had prior knowledge of the rebels' plans to overthrow Assad's regime.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated that the fall of dictator Bashar al-Assad's regime would be a moment of joy for Syria. However, it also marks a period of uncertainty for the locals and the entire region.
The Defense Express also calculated whether Syria possesses any weapons that Ukraine could potentially use and how these might be obtained.
