Russian troops must not be involved in ground operations in Syria - military expert
MOSCOW. Oct 6 (Interfax-AVN) - Ground operations against Islamic State fighters in Syria must be conducted by the Syrian regular armed forces and Kurdish militiamen, with the Russian air group's support, says Army Gen. Makhmut Gareyev, the president of the Academy of Military Sciences.
"We should not be dragged into ground actions on Syrian soil in any circumstances, as this is fraught with irreversible consequences," Gareyev, who served as the main military adviser in Afghanistan from 1989 to 1992, told Interfax-AVN on Tuesday.
The efficiency of Russian airstrikes upon Islamic State depots and bases in various parts of Syria is very high, and the Syrian troops and Kurdish militiamen should take advantage of these results by conducting major joint ground operations, Gareyev said.
"The airstrikes that the Russian air group is delivering on the gunmen's positions and infrastructure will be productive only if Syrian forces, together with their supporters, start major operations to liberate territories seized by the militants," he said.
Syrian troops should be supported with modern Russian weapons and hardware, Gareyev said. He also insisted on arranging close interaction between the Syrian General Staff and the coordination center in Baghdad and on providing the Syrian armed forces with military advisers.
Russian military advisers "should not take part in combat actions themselves but should only provide methodological assistance to Syrian army commanders," he said.
"Of course, Syrian territory seized by international terrorists cannot be liberated by bombs. But our president's decision that Russia will not be involved in a ground operation in Syria is the most correct decision - this is an order that needs to be fulfilled unfailingly," Gareyev said.
Success in combating terrorists in Syria using Russian warplanes will depend fully on coordination between all coalition members and the efficient use of the airstrikes' results, he said.
"Cohesion in joint actions will ultimately determine the time for which the Russian contingent will stay in Syria," he said.
