In Syria, "Russia is conducting a type of campaign lately seen executed only by the United States or under American leadership. Airstrikes from a foreign base, cruise missiles, different types of space and electronic reconnaissance, no land force units involved, drones, close coordination between navy and air force, cooperation with foreign military: these are all signs of an operation typical to modern warfare," Pakhomov observed.
In addition, Russia's campaign in Syria is transparent, with volumes of information on the number of sorties, the area of operation, etc. available each day.
"Syria is considered to be a Russian ally in the Middle East: President Assad asked Moscow for help and Russia has stood by its ally in very difficult circumstances," he noted.
At the same time, Russia has worked tirelessly to enlist the support of major stakeholders in the region (and beyond). Moscow has remained in contact with Iraq, Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Israel and all those, who expressed interest in tackling the self-styled Islamic State and the like, regardless of how these countries view Russia's efforts.
This initiative, according to Pakhomov, has "significantly strengthened Russia's strategic" profile in the Middle East.
Furthermore, the campaign in Syria clearly shows that Moscow is not afraid to act when action is required. Time will tell whether boldness pays off but it is a welcome quality "in the current age of global public scrutiny, information overload and universal political procrastination," as the analyst described it.
