Ukrainian and foreign media reported today, September 22, 2015, that the satellite images published by the US private reconnaissance company ‘Stratfor’ showed major build-up of the Russian military presence in Syria. InformNapalm team conducted analysis of the photos and made conclusions about the identity of the military aircrafts noticed in Syria – the equipment belongs to the air force units of Russia’s Eastern Military District. More details inside.
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According to Euronews, the main activity is observed on the Russian air base near the town of Hamim near Latakia and in Tartus seaport.
Mikhail Kuznetsov, the InformNapalm analyst, besides the shown ‘Stratfor’ satellite images also reviewed the photos taken at the airport located in Latakia and published on @M3t4_tr0n Twitter account.
During the analysis of the pictures of SU-30SM fighter in foreground, the following points were highlighted:
- the aircraft is painted with light colors of the Russian air forces
- plane’s nose is painted in white color
- pilot’s cockpit is encircled with black anti-glare paint
- you can see a white spot in the nose area
- there is the side number ’24’ painted in red color
- there is a silver spot to the left of the side number under the canopy
Based on these observations we can assume that this is Su-30SM fighter, red ’24’ side number (RF-95003), serial number 10МК5 10МК5 1105, which is in service of the 120th mixed aviation regiment of the 303rd guards mixed aviation division of the 3rd Air Force and Air Defense Command, Eastern Military District, Domna airfield, Zabaykalsky Krai, Russia. We want to underline that these are the preliminary conclusions and they need further investigation.
UPD. Additional investigation has been done – and now we know that the Su-30SM aircraft in the foreground of the picture of Latakia airfield has side No. ‘red 28‘ and tail No. ‘RF-95005‘. It also belongs to the 120th mixed aviation regiment of Russia’s air forces.
This is a slide from the video taken at the airport of Latakia, and it confirms our assumption:
It bears reminding that a week ago our team presented a database and summaries about the Russian Navy’s activity build-up in cargo shipments to Syria.
At the same time we would like to state that the exhibitory activity build-up in Syria (dramatically increased prior to the key sessions of the UN General Assembly) might have a diversionary nature. It might be used to refocus the attention of the world community from the Eastern Europe to the Middle East. Therefore, the occupied Crimea (the military base in Sevastopol) plays an important role in solving the problems associated with the increased tension in Syria regains, since the large landing ships of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet carry out the deployment of manpower and resources.
Thus, Russia continues to manipulate the international community opinion with the help of war games and rekindling the active phase of battle actions in both Donbas and Syria. At this moment the military pressure of Russia provokes increasing the flow of the Syrian refugees to the EU countries, pushing Europe to make concessions on the issues of political and military cooperation. But with the present course of events, the next round of rising of the intensity of hostilities in Ukraine is a matter of time. So, in case if the world leaders do not have a tough and unified position against the manipulations of the Kremlin, the conflict in Ukraine will break out with renewed vigor.
Original article by Mikhail Kuznetsov and Roman Burko, translated by Oleksandr Klymenko