Russian Senate Ratifies Establishment of Permanent Airbase in Syria

Moscow, Oct 12 (Prensa Latina) The Council of the Russian Federation (Senate) ratified on Wednesday the agreement for the establishment of a permanent air base in the Syrian city of Jmeimim, from where the Russian aviation conducts operations against terrorist groups.

Moscow and Damascus must coordinate the composition of the air group to be deployed at the base permanently, while the arrangement provides for the complete immunity of the Russian military to the Syrian laws.

The head of the International Relations of the Russian upper house, Konstantin Kosachev, said that the agreement is not directed against any third country, and only has a defensive character.

Kosachev said that several countries have thousands of bases in the world, with 700 of them belonging to the United States.

The Syrian port of Tartus, housing a facility for logistical supply and technical assistance was the only military facility outside the Russian territory, recalled the senator.

Our moral strength, he said, lies in the fact that the actions of our aviation in Syria are completely legal, because they have the approval of Damascus.

Since the start of the operations of the Russian aviation against terrorist formations in Syria, its planes conducted 10,000 missions, destroyed some 30,000 targets and eliminated 4,900 terrorists, including two thousand of Russian origin, according to data from the Ministry of Defense.

The list of aircraft of the Russian air group includes Su-25SM assault aircraft, Su-24 and Su-34 bombers, Su-30SM mutirole jet fighter, and Mi-24 and Mi-8 helicopters.

Russian rearguard troops also ensure the supply of some 1,500 tons of humanitarian aid in Syria.