Tensions between US and Russia rise over Syria (pics)

The Russian Embassy in Damascus, Syria has come under mortar fire, stated the Russian Foreign Ministry Monday. The Russian Foreign Ministry released a statement condemning the attack on the diplomatic mission, while it called on the international community to take a clear standpoint on ‘this terrorist act. The statement called for ‘concrete action’ by the international community, while it underlined that the shelling was carried out by islamist militants who had ‘outside sponsors’.

The US has accused Russia of recently deploying troops, artillery and aircraft to the war-torn country, ratcheting fears Moscow will join Assad’s forces in the fight against ISIS and the other ant-Syrian forces. Russia has responded top the allegation claiming the provision of weapons to Syria is are the fulfilment of legal contracts.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said last week after a phone contact with US Secretary of State John Kerry commenting on US policy in Syria said: ‘It’s an absolutely upside-down logic and yet another attempt to appease those who use terrorists to fight dissenting regimes’. On Sunday US Secretary John Kerry seemed to have changed the harsh ‘Assad must go now’ rhetoric of US Foreign Policy on Syria adopting a more conciliatory approach: “It doesn’t have to be on day one or month one … there is a process by which all the parties have to come together and reach an understanding of how this can best be achieved”. 

Satellite image of Russian aircraft in Syria

Top US officials have confirmed that Russia has already sent 28 combat aircraft (including 12 Su-25s, 12 Su-24s and 4 Su-27s and Su-30s), Mi-24 and 15 attack helicopters and up to 9 tanks. Reuters cited a US Pentagon source as saying that Russia has also started flying drones in the skies of Syria.

Satellite image of construction of airbase in Syria

Meanwhile, according to reports in Russian media, Russia is strengthening its military presence in the area even more, with over 22 warships and battleships are heading to the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Syrian coast.