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| Russia launches first airstrikes against targets in Syria | Russia launches first airstrikes against targets in Syria |
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| Russia has launched its first airstrikes against targets in Syria, two days after the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, spoke to the UN and called for an international coalition against terrorism to fight Islamic State. | Russia has launched its first airstrikes against targets in Syria, two days after the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, spoke to the UN and called for an international coalition against terrorism to fight Islamic State. |
| Related: Russia begins airstrikes in Syria areas 'belonging to terrorists' – live updates | |
| However, there was concern among rebel groups and in the west that Russia was targeting all forces opposed to President Bashar al-Assad, rather than focusing on Isis. | However, there was concern among rebel groups and in the west that Russia was targeting all forces opposed to President Bashar al-Assad, rather than focusing on Isis. |
| A spokesman for Russia’s defence ministry confirmed Russia had hit military and communication equipment “belonging to terrorists” in the country on Wednesday afternoon. | A spokesman for Russia’s defence ministry confirmed Russia had hit military and communication equipment “belonging to terrorists” in the country on Wednesday afternoon. |
| Speaking outside Moscow on Wednesday, Putin said Russia would not “plunge headfirst” into the conflict, but would provide temporary air support for a Syrian army offensive. | Speaking outside Moscow on Wednesday, Putin said Russia would not “plunge headfirst” into the conflict, but would provide temporary air support for a Syrian army offensive. |
| At the Pentagon, US officials said the strikes did not appear to be targeting areas held by Isis forces, and signalled deep dissatisfaction with Russia, piercing the veneer of cooperation that Barack Obama and Putin sought to establish at the United Nations this week. | At the Pentagon, US officials said the strikes did not appear to be targeting areas held by Isis forces, and signalled deep dissatisfaction with Russia, piercing the veneer of cooperation that Barack Obama and Putin sought to establish at the United Nations this week. |
| A day after the Pentagon announced that the US defence chief, Ashton Carter, was establishing a communications channel with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Shoygu, to “deconflict” any overlapping airstrikes, Russian officials told US diplomats in Baghdad that the Americans should avoid Syrian airspace during a Russian operation of uncertain duration. US officials rejected the demand. | |
| A US defence official said: “While we would welcome a constructive role by Russia in this effort [to deconflict strikes], today’s demarche hardly seems indicative of that sort of role and will in no way alter our operations.” He added that the strikes underscored the need for “meaningful deconfliction discussions very soon”. | |
| Syrian rebels and opposition media outlets claimed that Russian aircraft carried out strikes in the central provinces of Homs and Hama that allegedly killed at least 24 people. | Syrian rebels and opposition media outlets claimed that Russian aircraft carried out strikes in the central provinces of Homs and Hama that allegedly killed at least 24 people. |
| Activists in Hama said Russian fighter jets targeted the town of Lataminah, north of the city. The Homs Media Centre, a pro-opposition media outlet, identified 22 individuals killed in what was described as Russian strikes in the town of Talbiseh, in the north of the province. It was not possible to immediately verify these claims. | Activists in Hama said Russian fighter jets targeted the town of Lataminah, north of the city. The Homs Media Centre, a pro-opposition media outlet, identified 22 individuals killed in what was described as Russian strikes in the town of Talbiseh, in the north of the province. It was not possible to immediately verify these claims. |
| Other video footage from Hama showed warplanes that the opposition said were Russian jets, but which were difficult to identify positively from a distance. | Other video footage from Hama showed warplanes that the opposition said were Russian jets, but which were difficult to identify positively from a distance. |
| A commander with a Syrian rebel group known as Tajammu al Izzah, which operates in northern Hama and claims allegiance to the umbrella group the Free Syrian Army, said his organisation’s headquarters were targeted by Russian warplanes. | A commander with a Syrian rebel group known as Tajammu al Izzah, which operates in northern Hama and claims allegiance to the umbrella group the Free Syrian Army, said his organisation’s headquarters were targeted by Russian warplanes. |
| If true, the attacks are an indication that Russia’s campaign in Syria will be more expansive and will target opposition fighters battling to topple the Assad regime, rather than focusing on Islamic State. | If true, the attacks are an indication that Russia’s campaign in Syria will be more expansive and will target opposition fighters battling to topple the Assad regime, rather than focusing on Islamic State. |
| The apparent geography of the strikes also raises doubts that US and Russian pilots would in fact risk a confrontation. The early reports from the anti-Assad activists in Hama and Homs suggest the strikes occurred further west than the US has ever bombed, deep into territory where the Assad regime still maintains a tenuous hold, and in likely range of its air defences. The US has tended not to strike territory where Isis and Assad actively vie for control. | The apparent geography of the strikes also raises doubts that US and Russian pilots would in fact risk a confrontation. The early reports from the anti-Assad activists in Hama and Homs suggest the strikes occurred further west than the US has ever bombed, deep into territory where the Assad regime still maintains a tenuous hold, and in likely range of its air defences. The US has tended not to strike territory where Isis and Assad actively vie for control. |
| The US official did not provide confirmation of the Russian targets, nor any assessment of their effectiveness. Yet the official said that the Russians indicated, through a communication delivered to the US embassy in Baghdad, that Wednesday’s strikes inaugurated a Russian air campaign, not a one-off bombing run – the fruit of an aggressive Russian buildup centred around the air base in Latakia that has prompted intrigue and concern in the west as to Russia’s goals. | The US official did not provide confirmation of the Russian targets, nor any assessment of their effectiveness. Yet the official said that the Russians indicated, through a communication delivered to the US embassy in Baghdad, that Wednesday’s strikes inaugurated a Russian air campaign, not a one-off bombing run – the fruit of an aggressive Russian buildup centred around the air base in Latakia that has prompted intrigue and concern in the west as to Russia’s goals. |
| “The US-led coalition will continue to fly missions over Iraq and Syria as planned and in support of our international mission to degrade and destroy Isil,” the defence official said. | “The US-led coalition will continue to fly missions over Iraq and Syria as planned and in support of our international mission to degrade and destroy Isil,” the defence official said. |
| The UK foreign secretary, Philip Hammond, said the impact of the Russian strikes would depend on their targets, which Britain had yet to establish. | |
| “These are the first Russian strikes and the targets will be symbolic. The targets won’t have been selected by accident,” Hammond told journalists shortly before a Russian-chaired session of the UN security council on the issue. “If they have selected a target that is clearly an Isil target away from regime strength, they’ll be sending us a signal that they want this intervention to be seen as a counter-Isil intervention. | |
| Hammond added: “If they are in an area where there are heavy regime engagements going on, that will send a much more mixed message. If they’re in an area where there’s no Isil it will send a very clear message that the intervention is there to support Assad.” | |
| Earlier on Wednesday, Putin received permission from parliament for Russian forces to take part in the bombing raids. The federation council, Russia’s upper house of parliament, held a swift, closed session on Wednesday morning in which it unanimously approved Putin’s request. | Earlier on Wednesday, Putin received permission from parliament for Russian forces to take part in the bombing raids. The federation council, Russia’s upper house of parliament, held a swift, closed session on Wednesday morning in which it unanimously approved Putin’s request. |
| Putin said in New York that Russia would not carry out ground operations in Syria, and his chief of staff, Sergei Ivanov, emphasised this again on Wednesday, saying the request to the federation council referred exclusively to airstrikes. He did not give any figures of the number of planes likely to be involved or the number of Russian military specialists on the ground inside Syria to back up the operation. | Putin said in New York that Russia would not carry out ground operations in Syria, and his chief of staff, Sergei Ivanov, emphasised this again on Wednesday, saying the request to the federation council referred exclusively to airstrikes. He did not give any figures of the number of planes likely to be involved or the number of Russian military specialists on the ground inside Syria to back up the operation. |
| “You all know well that in the territory of Syria and Iraq … a number of countries are carrying out bombing strikes, including the United States,” said Ivanov. “These actions do not conform with international law. To be legal they should be supported either by a resolution of the UN security council, or be backed by a request from the country where the raids are taking place.” | “You all know well that in the territory of Syria and Iraq … a number of countries are carrying out bombing strikes, including the United States,” said Ivanov. “These actions do not conform with international law. To be legal they should be supported either by a resolution of the UN security council, or be backed by a request from the country where the raids are taking place.” |
| Ivanov said Assad had asked Russia for military assistance, making Russia’s actions legitimate. | Ivanov said Assad had asked Russia for military assistance, making Russia’s actions legitimate. |
| Putin had told the UN the world should come together to fight Islamic State in the same way as it joined forces to fight Hitler in the second world war, though differences between Russia and the west over the role and fate of Assad have always made it unlikely that a broad coalition will emerge. | Putin had told the UN the world should come together to fight Islamic State in the same way as it joined forces to fight Hitler in the second world war, though differences between Russia and the west over the role and fate of Assad have always made it unlikely that a broad coalition will emerge. |
| Instead, it is more likely that the US and other western countries will allow Russia to act but watch on warily. Some western countries have softened their stance that Assad must go as part of a peace settlement, but remain uneasy with Putin’s heroic characterisation of Assad as the last bulwark against terrorism. | Instead, it is more likely that the US and other western countries will allow Russia to act but watch on warily. Some western countries have softened their stance that Assad must go as part of a peace settlement, but remain uneasy with Putin’s heroic characterisation of Assad as the last bulwark against terrorism. |
| Putin spent 90 minutes in a bilateral meeting with the US president, Barack Obama, after his speech to the UN general assembly, about half of which was spent discussing Syria. | Putin spent 90 minutes in a bilateral meeting with the US president, Barack Obama, after his speech to the UN general assembly, about half of which was spent discussing Syria. |
| “I’m not waiting for any reaction from the west and I’m not particularly interested in it. There will be cries, hysterics, then there will be realpolitik and maybe understanding,” Evgeny Satanovsky, the head of the Russian Middle East Institute, told Russian television. | “I’m not waiting for any reaction from the west and I’m not particularly interested in it. There will be cries, hysterics, then there will be realpolitik and maybe understanding,” Evgeny Satanovsky, the head of the Russian Middle East Institute, told Russian television. |
| Putin last asked the federation council to authorise the use of troops abroad in March 2014, prior to the annexation of Crimea. The resolution was withdrawn by the Kremlin in June, although it was only in August that large-scale evidence emerged of Russian troops in east Ukraine. Russia has continually denied using troops in Ukraine. | Putin last asked the federation council to authorise the use of troops abroad in March 2014, prior to the annexation of Crimea. The resolution was withdrawn by the Kremlin in June, although it was only in August that large-scale evidence emerged of Russian troops in east Ukraine. Russia has continually denied using troops in Ukraine. |