Russian Defense Minister Visits Syria, Expert: Send Warning Message To The US And NATO

JAKARTA - Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu's working visit to Damascus, Syria linked to tensions in relations between the West and Russia around Ukraine, came as a surprise to the United States and NATO, said Lebanese military strategist General Charles Abi Nader.

"In conditions when the United States and Western countries are deliberately escalating the international situation, taking advantage of developments around Ukraine, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu visited Damascus to send a warning message from there," General Nader told TASS as quoted on February 17.

"This implies Russia will use its strategic facilities in Syria, in the event of a military confrontation with NATO," he continued.

Minister Shoigu's visit to Damascus coincided with a massive maneuver of the Russian Navy in the eastern Mediterranean, which involved more than 15 battleships of the Pacific, Northern, and Black Sea Fleet.

That includes missile cruisers and large anti-submarine warfare ships, as well as more than 30 aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces, General Nader said.

As General Nader points out, Shoigu's visits to Russia's Hmeymim airbase and Tartus naval logistics facility in Syria demonstrate the "attributed significance of these facilities in global contention."

"The deployment of Russian long-range aircraft involving Tu-22M3 bombers and MiG-31K fighters with Kinzhal missiles to Hmeymim airfield, to participate in naval maneuvers demonstrates, Russia is thus feeling the most serious military and political tensions that have arisen," said General Nader.

He explained that the Russian Defense Minister's trip to Damascus and his meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad "will elevate military-technical cooperation with Syria to a new strategic level, which will go beyond the previously announced scope of tasks to jointly fight terrorism."

For information, Russian Defense Minister Shoigu made a work trip to Damascus on instructions from Russian President Vladimir Putin.

As reported by the Russian Ministry of Defense, Shoigu discussed various issues of military-technical cooperation with the Syrian leader, including the joint struggle against the remnants of international terrorists. As well as several aspects of Russian humanitarian assistance to the Syrian population who are suffering from US and Western sanctions.

In addition, Minister Shoigu also informed the Syrian President about the Russian Navy exercises in the eastern Mediterranean.