Russia’s aircraft carrier, Admiral Kuznetsov, has for the first time launched combat jets on flights over Syria, scouting out the besieged city of Aleppo ahead of anticipated strikes.
Its force of Sukhoi Su-33 and Mikoyan MiG-29K strike fighters took to the skies early on Wednesday on what the Russian Ministry of Defence says were scout missions.
The Pentagon has released a statement to US defence research group the US Naval Institute saying it was aware Russia was about to escalate its Syrian campaign.
“The comments from the Russian Ministry of Defense suggest they are more interested in the world seeing Russia’s naval capabilities in action than the world seeing Russia live up to its word,” the statement reads. “An escalation would make it harder to resolve the brutal civil war in Syria and raise more doubts about Russia’s commitment to a political solution.”
The Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier is currently in waters between Crete and Syria, accompanied by the nuclear- powered Peter the Great missile cruiser and several other ships and submarines. This is the Russian navy’s largest deployment since the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union.
But the narrow waters of the Eastern Mediterranean are getting crowded, with a NATO carrier battle group already in the region.
The French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, with several destroyers and frigates as an escort, has been launching air strikes against Syria and Iraq for much of the year. The French submarine Reuben is also believed to be in the area.
Earlier this week, warships escorting the Kuznetsov ‘chased off’ a Dutch destroyer said to be ‘clumsily’ following the Russian fleet.
NATO has expressed concern at the arrival of the Russian warships, saying the move could presage an increase in the number of air raids in Syria, particularly around the besieged city of Aleppo.
Doubts have been raised as to the combat effectiveness of the Kuznetsov’s aircraft as they are not able to take off from the ship’s ski-ramp fully loaded. While the aircraft could land to refuel and rearm at Syrian airfields, analysts say it is also likely they will be restricted to combat air patrols while the ships of the fleet launch Kalibr and Onix cruise missiles against rebel targets.
Its force of Sukhoi Su-33 and Mikoyan MiG-29K strike fighters took to the skies early on Wednesday on what the Russian Ministry of Defence says were scout missions.
The Pentagon has released a statement to US defence research group the US Naval Institute saying it was aware Russia was about to escalate its Syrian campaign.
“The comments from the Russian Ministry of Defense suggest they are more interested in the world seeing Russia’s naval capabilities in action than the world seeing Russia live up to its word,” the statement reads. “An escalation would make it harder to resolve the brutal civil war in Syria and raise more doubts about Russia’s commitment to a political solution.”
The Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier is currently in waters between Crete and Syria, accompanied by the nuclear- powered Peter the Great missile cruiser and several other ships and submarines. This is the Russian navy’s largest deployment since the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union.
But the narrow waters of the Eastern Mediterranean are getting crowded, with a NATO carrier battle group already in the region.
The French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, with several destroyers and frigates as an escort, has been launching air strikes against Syria and Iraq for much of the year. The French submarine Reuben is also believed to be in the area.
Earlier this week, warships escorting the Kuznetsov ‘chased off’ a Dutch destroyer said to be ‘clumsily’ following the Russian fleet.
NATO has expressed concern at the arrival of the Russian warships, saying the move could presage an increase in the number of air raids in Syria, particularly around the besieged city of Aleppo.
Doubts have been raised as to the combat effectiveness of the Kuznetsov’s aircraft as they are not able to take off from the ship’s ski-ramp fully loaded. While the aircraft could land to refuel and rearm at Syrian airfields, analysts say it is also likely they will be restricted to combat air patrols while the ships of the fleet launch Kalibr and Onix cruise missiles against rebel targets.