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The video entitled “The Russian military operation in the Syrian Arab Republic – results in numbers” and released on August 22, 2018 has the style and partly structure looks close to SouthFront’s video analysis “Russian Military Campaign in Syria 2015-2018” August 11, 2018.

According to the video, in the very start of the military operation, Russia deployed 50 aircraft in its Khmeimim Air Base in Syria. This number included 34 warplanes (12 – Su24, 10 – Su-25SM, 4 – Su-30SM, 4 – Su-34, 2 – Su-25UB, 1 – An-30, 1 – Il20) and 16 helicopters (12 – Mi-24, 4 – Mi-8M).

The video says that on September 30, 2015 the Damascus government was in control of 8% of Syrian territory. According to the report, as a result of the operation 1,411 settlements, villages and towns have been liberated.

The video also says that now, government forces and volunteers are now in control of 96.5% of the country and the Idlib de-escaltion zone is 3.5% of the country. However, the number provided is not precise. The Damascus government cannot control 96.5% of the country:

the northern and northwestern part of Aleppo province is controlled by the Turkish Armed Forces and Turkish-backed militant groups;

the area of at-Tanf [50km zone around it] in southeastern Syria is occupied by the US-led coalition;

the entire northeastern part of Syria is controlled by the US-led coalition and the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces.

The Russian Defense Ministry video also says that 63,012 servicemen, including 434 generals and 25,738 officers have gained combat expirience during the conflict in Syria. This number includes 4,319 servicemen of rocket and artillery forces, 87% crews of operational-tactical aviation, 91% – army aviation, 97% military transport aviation, 60% – strategic aviation.

The video further says that Russian military advisers have assisted in creating the 5th Assault Corps, “the most combat effective unit in the Syrian Army”. While it’s a fact that the 5th Assault Corps is one of the most combat effective units in government forces, it’s hard to say that it’s “the most combat effective”. The Tiger Forces and the 4th Armoured Division also have a high level of the combat effectiveness.

1,245 Syrian mine clearance specialists have been trained by servicemen of the Russian International Mine Action Center. Meanwhile, Russian combat engineers have demined 6553.2 hectares of Syrian territory, including 2339.1 hectares in Palmyra, 2956.1 hectares in Aleppo and 1238 hectares in Deir Ezzor.

The video added that Russian forces have employed 231 type of its modern and modernized weapons and weapon systems, including guided munitions and cruise missiles.

Aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces have carried out over 39,000 combat sorties. During the most intense part of the combat operation, the Russian air group was carrying about 100 combat sorties per day. Then, every warplane was carrying out 3-4 combat sorties per day.

The Russian Navy has carried out 189 combat cruises, which have involved 14 sumbarines, 86 warships and 83 vessels. An air group of the Russian heavy aircraft-carrying missile cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov has carried out 120 combat sorties destroying 1252 terrorist targets.

UAVs of the Russian military have carried out over 25,000 sorties dececting 47,522 terrroist targets.

Additionally, the Russian military has used 100 naval cruise missiles and 66 air-launched cruise missiles. Tu-22M3 strategic bombers have carried out 47 group strikes on ISIS targets.

According to the video report, the Russian military has destroyed 121,466 terrroist objects and eliminated over 86,000 terrorists, including 830 commanders.

Russian forces have also assisted the Syrian Army in the restoration of its military equipment: 4,710 units of weapon systems and military equipment. The Russians have also supplied 1,590,000 t of cargo to Syria via air and sea. Infrastructure of Khmeimim Air Base and Tartus naval facility were also expanded.

The video noted the work of the Russian Reconciliation Center for Syria. 234 armed units and 2,518 settlements have joined the ceasefire regime thanks to the Center’s activity. The video says that the total population of the settlements, which joined the ceasefire, is 11,400,000 people. [This number is also unclear. According to Syrian sources, the general population of the government-held area is about 11,000,000-13,000,000 people] Over 1,500,000 refugees have returned to Syria since the start of the operation. The Center has carried out 1,902 humanitarian actions delivering 6,077 t of food and assisting to 304 aid convoys of the UN and other organizations.

Moreover, Russia has employed 10 medical units that have provided medical assistance to 88,318 Syrians.

Russian Military Campaign in Syria 2015-2018:

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