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Russia’s air operation in Syria against IS puts an end to monopolar world - expert

ZAMYATINA Tamara

The beginning of Russia’s air strikes against the Islamic State in Syria spells a U-turn in the world situation, one of Russia’s top military analysts, Leonid Ivashov, says

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MOSCOW, October 1. /TASS/. The beginning of Russia’s air strikes against the Islamic State in Syria spells a U-turn in the world situation, says a former high-ranking Defense Ministry official, currently of one Russia’s top military analysts, Leonid Ivashov.

"We’ve just been witnesses to the demise of the monopolar world," Colonel-General Ivashov, a former chief of the Defense Ministry’s international cooperation department, told TASS in an interview. "There will soon be a long line of states eager to join the Russian coalition in the Middle East. The United States will eventually join it, too."

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"Interaction by the Russian air force group, Syrian government troops, Iranian commandos and Kurdish militias will be carried out through the single coordination centre in Baghdad. Russian and Syrian officers share the same terminology. Most of Syria’s officers were trained at Russia’s military academies on the basis of Russian manuals, rules and standards. They were instructed in the use of Russian military equipment, which the Syrian government troops now have at their disposal," Ivashov said.

"Russia has dispatched to Syria its advanced front-line bombers, fighter-planes, assault aircraft, helicopters and reconnaissance planes. Our aircraft are equipped with infrared decoy flares protecting them from heat-seeking Stinger missiles. Operations by Russia’s Air Forces will be coordinated in terms of timing, altitude and areas of responsibility," Ivashov said.

"At the moment Russia’s largest group of advisers outside the country is in Syria. One can forecast with a great deal of certainty the just-started operation against the terrorist group IS will be highly effective," Ivashov said.

TASS may not share the opinions of its contributors

TASS may not share the opinions of its contributors

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