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Putin in Paris for talks as Russia carries out further Syria airstrikes Putin in Paris for talks as Russia carries out further Syria airstrikes
(35 minutes later)
Vladimir Putin is coming face to face with western leaders for the first time since Moscow launched airstrikes in Syria amid a growing rift over who it is targeting. Vladimir Putin is coming face to face with western leaders for the first time since Moscow launched airstrikes in Syria amid a growing rift over whom it is targeting.
The Russian president is in Paris for a peace summit on the Ukraine conflict, but Russia’s sudden intervention in Syria looks set to dominate as he holds talks with France’s François Hollande and Germany’s Angela Merkel.The Russian president is in Paris for a peace summit on the Ukraine conflict, but Russia’s sudden intervention in Syria looks set to dominate as he holds talks with France’s François Hollande and Germany’s Angela Merkel.
Russia insists it is bombing Islamic State and other “terror” groups, but western nations are highly sceptical and believe it is trying to shore up Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad, Moscow’s long-time ally.Russia insists it is bombing Islamic State and other “terror” groups, but western nations are highly sceptical and believe it is trying to shore up Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad, Moscow’s long-time ally.
Related: Russia in Syria: what damage will it do?Related: Russia in Syria: what damage will it do?
Alexei Pushkov, a top Russian foreign affairs official, told French radio he believed the air campaign could last about three or four months. He also hit out at western criticism, writing on Twitter: “The US is criticising Russia for ‘lack of selectivity in our targets’ in Syria. So what stopped them from picking the right targets over a whole year, rather than just pointlessly bombing the desert?!” Alexei Pushkov, a top Russian foreign affairs official, told French radio he believed the air campaign could last about three or four months. He also hit out at western criticism on Twitter: “The US is criticising Russia for ‘lack of selectivity in our targets’ in Syria. So what stopped them from picking the right targets over a whole year, rather than just pointlessly bombing the desert?!”
Pushkov later claimed his words had been taken out of context, and said the operation’s length would be decided by military planners depending on the situation at hand.Pushkov later claimed his words had been taken out of context, and said the operation’s length would be decided by military planners depending on the situation at hand.
Russian officials have strongly denied claims that some of their airstrikes have missed their targets, and suggestions from the west that planes were mainly bombing rebel groups opposed to the Assad regime, rather than Isis.Russian officials have strongly denied claims that some of their airstrikes have missed their targets, and suggestions from the west that planes were mainly bombing rebel groups opposed to the Assad regime, rather than Isis.
“The main target are the Daesh [Isis] groups situated closest to Damascus,” Pushkov said.“The main target are the Daesh [Isis] groups situated closest to Damascus,” Pushkov said.
Related: Who's who in the Syrian conflict, and what happens next?Related: Who's who in the Syrian conflict, and what happens next?
The Russian defence ministry says its aircraft have carried out 18 sorties in Syria in the past 24 hours, including 10 overnight in which seven sites were bombed. The Russian defence ministry says its aircraft carried out 18 sorties in Syria in the past 24 hours, including 10 overnight in which seven sites were bombed.
The Russian foreign ministry and Putin himself have spoken of an “informational campaign” against Russia from the west, reminiscent of the language they used when repeatedly denying the presence of Russian troops in east Ukraine over the past year and a half, despite evidence to the contrary. The airstrikes primarily hit non-Isis rebel positions, including Darat al-Izza, a town in western Aleppo held by rebel fighters including the al-Qaida affiliate in Syria, Jabhat al-Nusra, and Maarat al-Nu’man, a town in Idlib held by Jaysh al-Fateh, a coalition of rebel fighters that also includes Nusra.
“These pseudo-sensations are absolute nonsense with no factual basis,” Igor Konashenkov of the Russian defence ministry told journalists, in relation to claims of civilian casualties from the Russian bombing raids. “I would pay attention to the fact that these informational provocations were ready-prepared and put into use before our operation even started.” However, Moscow said it also struck targets west of the city of Raqqa, the capital of Islamic State’s self-proclaimed caliphate – apparently the first time the country’s fighter jets have targeted likely Isis positions.
Syrian state TV said Russian aircraft also struck rebel positions in Hama province, where opposition fighters are battling to wrest control of the strategic al-Ghab plain from forces loyal to Assad’s regime, in an effort to advance towards his coastal stronghold of Lattakia. It also struck in Idlib, where residents told of widespread destruction in a town held by the opposition.
The continued airstrikes are clarifying the scope of the Russian campaign, which appears primarily aimed at halting rebel advances in central and north-west Syria towards the population centres controlled by the Assad regime, rather than a more targeted effort to contain Islamic State.
The Russian foreign ministry and Putin himself have spoken of an “informational campaign” against Russia from the west, reminiscent of the language they used when repeatedly denying the presence of Russian troops in eastern Ukraine over the past year and a half, despite evidence to the contrary.
“These pseudo-sensations are absolute nonsense with no factual basis,” Igor Konashenkov of the Russian defence ministry told journalists in relation to claims of civilian casualties from the Russian bombing raids. “I would pay attention to the fact that these informational provocations were ready-prepared and put into use before our operation even started.”
Russia’s entry into the Syrian theatre is likely to be a major issue at the talks in Paris.Russia’s entry into the Syrian theatre is likely to be a major issue at the talks in Paris.
Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko is also attending the talks that are meant to focus on resolving the situation in east Ukraine. There has been speculation that Putin may attempt to link the two issues, offering cooperation in Syria for de-escalation in Ukraine and a lifting of western sanctions imposed over Russia’s actions there. The Ukrainian president, Petro Poroshenko, is also attending the talks that are meant to focus on resolving the situation in eastern Ukraine. There has been speculation that Putin may attempt to link the two issues, offering cooperation in Syria for de-escalation in Ukraine and a lifting of western sanctions imposed over Russia’s actions there.
Related: Listen to an audio recording of the Guardian Live event 'Should the UK bomb Syria?'Related: Listen to an audio recording of the Guardian Live event 'Should the UK bomb Syria?'
There has been edgy diplomacy ahead of the meeting, with Ukraine’s presidential administration claiming Putin had asked for a separate bilateral meeting with Poroshenko on the sidelines of the meeting, which Kiev was considering.There has been edgy diplomacy ahead of the meeting, with Ukraine’s presidential administration claiming Putin had asked for a separate bilateral meeting with Poroshenko on the sidelines of the meeting, which Kiev was considering.
Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov swiftly moved to quash the claim, saying there had been no Russian request and no plans for a bilateral meeting. It was reminiscent of the runup to Putin’s meeting with Barack Obama on the sidelines of the UN general assembly on Monday, prior to which both Moscow and Washington claimed the other side had asked for the meeting. Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, swiftly moved to quash the claim, saying there had been no Russian request and no plans for a bilateral meeting. It was reminiscent of the runup to Putin’s meeting with Barack Obama on the sidelines of the UN general assembly on Monday, prior to which both Moscow and Washington claimed the other side had asked for the meeting.
France opposes Russia’s support of Assad, whom Hollande accuses of instigating the chaos in Syria, where up to 250,000 people are believed to have been killed in four years of bloodshed. France opposes Russia’s support for Assad, whom Hollande accuses of instigating the chaos in Syria, where up to 250,000 people are believed to have been killed in four years of bloodshed.