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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
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| Syria crisis: Nato to discuss Russia air campaign | Syria crisis: Nato to discuss Russia air campaign |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Russia's growing military involvement in the Syria conflict is expected to be high on the agenda of Nato defence ministers meeting in Brussels. | Russia's growing military involvement in the Syria conflict is expected to be high on the agenda of Nato defence ministers meeting in Brussels. |
| It comes after Nato member Turkey said Russian jets had violated its airspace. | It comes after Nato member Turkey said Russian jets had violated its airspace. |
| Russia has fired missiles from a warship in addition to air strikes to support Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad. | Russia has fired missiles from a warship in addition to air strikes to support Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad. |
| But Moscow denies Western accusations that its strikes have mainly hit Assad opponents, some supported by the West, and not Islamic State (IS) militants. | |
| BBC defence correspondent Jonathan Marcus says Nato aims to make clear it will respond to any challenge. | BBC defence correspondent Jonathan Marcus says Nato aims to make clear it will respond to any challenge. |
| Analysis: Sarah Rainsford, BBC Moscow correspondent | Analysis: Sarah Rainsford, BBC Moscow correspondent |
| Russia wants to show that Western policy in Syria has failed and there are other forces to be supported there, primarily President Bashar al-Assad. | Russia wants to show that Western policy in Syria has failed and there are other forces to be supported there, primarily President Bashar al-Assad. |
| The Kremlin's desire appears to be aimed at keeping America on the back foot. | The Kremlin's desire appears to be aimed at keeping America on the back foot. |
| The use of cruise missiles on Wednesday does not change the situation militarily - the same effect could have been achieved by air strikes. | The use of cruise missiles on Wednesday does not change the situation militarily - the same effect could have been achieved by air strikes. |
| But Mr Putin wants to project his power on the world stage, to show that he is a force to be reckoned with. | But Mr Putin wants to project his power on the world stage, to show that he is a force to be reckoned with. |
| More analysis: | More analysis: |
| On Thursday, Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance had expressed its concern over Russia's "strong and increased military presence" in Syria. | On Thursday, Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance had expressed its concern over Russia's "strong and increased military presence" in Syria. |
| He called on Moscow to play a "constructive and co-operative role" to fight IS and to stop supporting Mr Assad. | He called on Moscow to play a "constructive and co-operative role" to fight IS and to stop supporting Mr Assad. |
| But he added that the situation underlined the need for political initiatives to end Syria's war. | But he added that the situation underlined the need for political initiatives to end Syria's war. |
| Nato ministers are expected to express their solidarity with Turkey. They will also address increased concern among Baltic member states following Russia's involvement in eastern Ukraine. | Nato ministers are expected to express their solidarity with Turkey. They will also address increased concern among Baltic member states following Russia's involvement in eastern Ukraine. |
| UK Defence Secretary Michael Fallon is expected to announce that Britain is ready to make a long-term troop deployment to the Baltic republics, our correspondent says. | UK Defence Secretary Michael Fallon is expected to announce that Britain is ready to make a long-term troop deployment to the Baltic republics, our correspondent says. |
| But, he adds, ministers are meeting amid a deepening sense of crisis. | But, he adds, ministers are meeting amid a deepening sense of crisis. |
| On Wednesday, Russia said it had launched missile strikes against IS from warships in the Caspian Sea - about 1,500km (930 miles) away. | On Wednesday, Russia said it had launched missile strikes against IS from warships in the Caspian Sea - about 1,500km (930 miles) away. |
| Russia's foreign ministry also said Moscow was willing to establish contact with the Free Syrian Army - a Western-backed rebel group - to discuss fighting IS "and other terrorist groups". | Russia's foreign ministry also said Moscow was willing to establish contact with the Free Syrian Army - a Western-backed rebel group - to discuss fighting IS "and other terrorist groups". |
| But US Defence Secretary Ash Carter said coalition forces fighting IS in Syria would not co-operate with Russia. | But US Defence Secretary Ash Carter said coalition forces fighting IS in Syria would not co-operate with Russia. |
| "We believe Russia has the wrong strategy," he said. "They continue to hit targets that are not IS." | "We believe Russia has the wrong strategy," he said. "They continue to hit targets that are not IS." |
| Airspace violations | Airspace violations |
| Russia's air campaign in Syria has raised fears of accidental contact between Russian warplanes and those of the US-led coalition which have been targeting IS for the past year. | Russia's air campaign in Syria has raised fears of accidental contact between Russian warplanes and those of the US-led coalition which have been targeting IS for the past year. |
| Pentagon officials revealed they recently had to carry out at least one "safe separation" manoeuvre to avoid a US jet coming too close to a Russian aircraft over Syria. | Pentagon officials revealed they recently had to carry out at least one "safe separation" manoeuvre to avoid a US jet coming too close to a Russian aircraft over Syria. |
| Russia's envoy to Ankara was summoned three times in response to recent incursions into Turkey's airspace. | Russia's envoy to Ankara was summoned three times in response to recent incursions into Turkey's airspace. |
| Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned the Kremlin that any "attack on Turkey means an attack on Nato". | Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned the Kremlin that any "attack on Turkey means an attack on Nato". |
| "If Russia loses a friend like Turkey, with whom it has a lot of co-operation, it is going to lose a lot of things. It needs to know this," Mr Erdogan said. | "If Russia loses a friend like Turkey, with whom it has a lot of co-operation, it is going to lose a lot of things. It needs to know this," Mr Erdogan said. |
| The Syrian civil war began with an uprising against President Assad in 2011 that was brutally put down. It has since deteriorated into fighting between pro-government forces and various rebel groups - some of which also fight each other. | The Syrian civil war began with an uprising against President Assad in 2011 that was brutally put down. It has since deteriorated into fighting between pro-government forces and various rebel groups - some of which also fight each other. |
| Amid the chaos, IS militants have seized swathes of territory in Syria and Iraq. | Amid the chaos, IS militants have seized swathes of territory in Syria and Iraq. |