Russian
Warship Steaming Toward U.S Destroyers Off Syria Coast
7
March, 2017
Early
this morning we
reported that
as part of its response to the Syrian attack, in addition to
suspending communication with U.S. forces designed to stop planes
colliding over Syria, the Russian frigate Admiral Grigorovich would
be deployed to the Tartus naval base in Syria. The Russian Black Sea
Fleet’s frigate The Admiral Grigorovich, currently on a routine
voyage, would enter the Mediterranean later on Friday, a
military-diplomatic source in Moscow told TASS, adding that the ship
would make a stop at the logistics base in Syria’s port of Tartus.
Russia
wasted no time, and as FN
reports,
moments ago, the Russian frigate, Admiral Grigorovich RFS-494,
crossed through the Bosphorus Strait “a few hours ago” from the
Black Sea, according to a U.S. defense official.
The
Russian warship is now in the eastern Mediterranean steaming in the
direction of the U.S. warships. The Admiral Grigorovich is armed with
advanced Kalibr cruise missiles.
According
to the official version, the frigate was bound for the Syrian port of
Tartus on a routine voyage, the Russian news agency TASS reported
Friday, citing a military-diplomatic source.
BREAKING:Russia Admiral Grigorovich-class frigate armed w/ cruise missiles about to enter the Mediterranean heading to naval base in Tartus
"The
Russian ship armed with cruise missiles Kalibr will visit the
logistics base in Tartus, Syria," the source said, according to
TASS. The ship was currently near the Black Sea straits, Tass
reported. The ship left on a voyage after stopping at
Novorossiisk for supplies and taking part in a joint exercise with
Turkish ships in the Black Sea.
Meanwhile,
Fox News adds that one of the American destroyers that launched the
missiles into Syria started heading to an undisclosed location to
rearm.
Just
hours after unleashing a missile strike on Syria, Steven Mnuchin
announced that the US will announce sanctions “in the near future”
against the Assad regime.
Joined
by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Commerce Secretary Wilbur
Ross in a briefing at Mar-a-Lago estate, the Treasury Secretary said
the U.S. would impose sanctions on Syria “to stop this type of
activity," according to a pool report and multiple media
reports. It wasn't clear what sanctions are under consideration: last
time we checked the local Four Seasons had seen better days, as for
the war-ravaged economy we very much doubt it relies on trade with
the US, or has substantial cash deposits in US banks, although those
regions of Syria still under ISIS control are surely regular
beneficiaries of having their banks hooked up to SWIFT.
Mnuchin’s
announcement was the latest sign that the Trump administration
continues to escalate efforts against the Syrian President one week
after Rex Tillerson said Assad's fate would be in the hands of
Syria's people
Just
when you thought this day could not get any more bizarre, here comes
Reuters with a headline, citing the infamous Syrian Observatory For
Human Rights, that Syrian warplanes have taken off from air base hit
by U.S., carry out strikes in Homs countryside..
JUST IN: Syrian warplanes take off from air base hit by U.S., carry out strikes in Homs countryside - Syrian observatory for human rights
The
governor of Homs said that at least five people had been killed in
the strike, three of whom were Syrian soldiers. He also stated that
at least seven people had been wounded. Meanwhile, Syria's SANA news
agency has reported nine civilian deaths, including four children.
The
Russian Ministry of Defense also said that six MiG-23 fighter jets
had been destroyed, but added that much of the runway remained
intact, describing the operation's efficiency as “quite poor."
‘Low efficiency’: Only 23 Tomahawk missiles out of 59 reached Syrian airfield, Russian MoD says
FILE
PHOTO: Shayrat Airfield in Homs, Syria is seen in this DigitalGlobe
satellite image released by the U.S. Defense Department on April 6,
2017. © DigitalGlobe / U.S. Department of Defense / Reuters
RT,
7
April, 2017
The
Russian Defense Ministry says the US missile strike on a Syrian
airfield wasn't very effective, with only 23 out of 59 Tomahawk
missiles reaching their target. The locations of the remaining 36
missiles’ impact is now unknown, the ministry added.
The
strike on the Shayrat airfield in Syria’s Homs Province destroyed a
material storage depot, a training facility, a canteen, six MiG-23
aircraft in repair hangars and a radar station.
The
runway, taxiways and the Syrian aircraft on the parking apron
remained undamaged, Russia’s Defense Ministry spokesman said in
a statement.
The
ministry described the combat efficiency of the strike as “quite
poor.”
“On
April 7, 2017, between 3:42am and 3:56am Moscow time, two US Navy
destroyers (USS Porter and USS Ross) fired 59 Tomahawk cruise
missiles at Shayrat airfield in Homs Province, Syria, from an area
near the Island of Crete in the Mediterranean Sea.
“According
to our sources, only 23 of them reached the Syrian airbase,” Russian
Defense Ministry spokesman Major-General Igor Konashenkov said,
adding that the points of impact of the other 36 cruise missiles
remain unknown.
The
ministry also slammed the US actions as “a
gross violation” of
the memorandum of understanding signed by
Moscow in Washington back in 2015 to prevent flight incidents in
Syrian airspace.
All
justifications for the strike are “groundless
claims,” the
ministry continued.
“Russia
made an earlier statement that the Syrian forces did not use chemical
weapons. We are waiting for clarification from the US on undisputed –
as they claim – evidence that it was the Syrian Army that deployed
chemical weapons in the town of Khan Sheikhoun.”
The
ministry also pointed to the events that followed the strikes, a
large-scale offensive against the Syrian Army carried out by Islamic
State and Al-Nusra Front terrorists.
“We
hope that this offensive was in no way coordinated with the US,”the
ministry said.
"A
number of measures aimed at strengthening and improving the
effectiveness of the Syrian air defense system will be implemented in
the near future in order to protect the vital parts of the Syrian
infrastructure," Konashenkov said.
The Russian military was at the airbase during the attack on the United States — details
Российские
военные были на авиабазе во время удара
США — подробности
At
the moment it is known that American missiles struck the airfield
base, aircraft hangars and fuel tankers, reports Arab Agency AMN.
The
rocket hit the tankers with the fuel caused a series of explosions
and a large fire, which is still not resolved.
At
least 15 jet fighters were damaged or completely destroyed.
One
fighter pilot was killed, several others injured.
Soldiers from the base of al-Sirat
reported that at the time of the missile attack of the USA on the
basis there were a large number of soldiers armed forces.
According
to preliminary data, anybody from them has not suffered, since the
major attacks occurred on the flight fields, tankers with fuel and
the hangars.
US threatens new attacks on the infrastructure of Syria
СРОЧНО: США угрожают новыми ударами по инфраструктуре Сирии
The
US has threatened new strikes against the military infrastructure of
Syria.
The
threat was voiced by US Ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley.
"We
are ready to do more, but I hope that this will not be necessary,"
she said at a meeting of the UN security Council on the situation in
Syria.
In
social networks in connection with the act of aggression from the
United States are gaining popularity hashtag
#Trump_terroristand#STOP_USA_TERROR
Russia suspends flight safety memorandum over Syria after US missile strike – Foreign Ministry
FILE
PHOTO: Russia's Su-25 aircraft take off from Hmeimim airbase escorted
by Syria's MiG-29 fighter jets. © Ministry of defence of the Russian
Federation / Sputnik
Russia
has suspended the memorandum of understanding on flight safety in
Syria with the United States amid the US missile strike on Syria’s
Shayrat military airfield, according to the Russian Foreign
Ministry’s statement.
“Without
bothering to investigate anything, the US went forward with a
demonstration of force, a military confrontation with a country that
is fighting international terrorism,” the
Foreign Ministry’sstatement reads.
Turkey calls for no-fly zone over Syria – president’s spokesman
Turkish
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s spokesman, Ibrahim Kalin,
supported the US missile strikes against the Shayrat airbase, saying
they show that alleged chemical and conventional attacks targeting
civilians won’t “go unpunished.”
A
no-fly zone and safe zones must be established and enforced without
delay, the spokesman said. The Turkish Foreign Ministry has stated
that safe zones are now “more important than ever.”
“Steps
that will ensure similar crimes do not go unpunished and
accountability is established will have the full support of Turkey,”
the ministry said in a written statement cited by Reuters.
The
ministry also spoke out in support of removing Syrian President
Bashar Assad and his government, while calling for the establishment
of a transitional government.
“It
is necessary to oust this regime as soon as possible from the
leadership of Syria,” Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglusaid
told reporters, also calling for “necessary steps” to be taken in
case Assad “doesn't want to go.”
US
warships in the eastern Mediterranean fired 59 Tomahawk missiles at
the Syrian Shayrat airfield on Friday. Previously, Washington had
accused the Syrian government of using chemical weapons against
civilians in Idlib province. The Pentagon claims that the targeted
airfield was used for Tuesday’s attack, which reportedly left up to
86 people dead, including 26 children.
Damascus
has denied all the allegations, saying that Syrian jets targeted an
arms depot where chemical weapons were stockpiled by Islamic State
(IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) and Al-Nusra Front militants.
Russia
has condemned America's attack on the Syrian airfield. Presidential
spokesman Dmitry Peskov said “the Syrian Army doesn’t possess
chemical weapons,” adding that the fact had been confirmed by the
UN chemical weapons watchdog, the Organization for the Prohibition of
Chemical Weapons.
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