Syria crisis: Russia launches 26 cruise missiles in Caspian Sea

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Russian military, sharply escalating its military intervention in Syria, launched 26 medium-range cruise missiles on Wednesday, October 7 from four warships in the Caspian Sea, while providing air support for a ground offensive by pro-government forces, the New York Times reports.

Russian officials said the missiles — which traveled more than 900 miles, through Iranian and Iraqi airspace — struck 11 targets in Syria, but they did not specify which groups were hit.

It was not clear whether the missile strike was coordinated with the ground offensive, which was reported by antigovernment activists and insurgents around the central province of Hama, as well as by the television station of Hezbollah, an ally of Syria based in Lebanon.

The Kremlin would not confirm that a ground offensive had begun, though a spokeswoman for the foreign ministry, Maria V. Zakharova, said that “coordination is taking place with the Syrian Army, that is unequivocal.”

The news of the missile attack came via a televised meeting between the Russian minister of defense, Sergei K. Shoigu, and President Vladimir V. Putin. “That we fired from the territory of the Caspian Sea, at a range greater than 1,500 kilometers, and hit targets precisely, this shows high qualifications,” Mr. Putin said, referring to naval crew members. Mr. Shoigu said that no civilians had been injured in the assault.

The ground offensive in Syria is taking place in coordination with Russian warplanes operating from an airfield in western Syria, and the offensive will include the Syrian Army, Hezbollah forces on the ground and Russian airpower, all in coordination with Iran, according to an official with that alliance.