BRKG - Russia sends planes to Beirut to evacuate citizens in Syria

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How convenient. The German Patriot missile batteries just arrived in Turkey today...

RT @NOW_eng: Interfax: #Russia sending two planes to #Beirut to evacuate over 100 nationals leaving #Syria [link to t.co] #NOW_Eng

Mon Jan 21 - 12:59:25 pm

Be interesting to see if these were Russian military advisors being pulled out or just regular ole' Russian citizens.

coincidence?

RT @ArizonaNewsnet: Russia's navy is performing largest naval exercise in decades off Syria coast. [link to t.co]

Mon Jan 21 - 1:27:01 pm

probably not

Looks like they could be setting themselves up for a mass evacuation of Russians from Syria.

Following the news wires and about every major media outlet has picked up on the story now. I wonder if we are going to see a Russian policy shift regarding Syria. Assad may be on the verge of getting hung out to dry.

More details -

Russia sending two planes to pick Russians who want to leave Syria

Published: 21 January, 2013, 21:42

Russia’s Emergencies Ministry is sending two planes to the Lebanese capital to pick those Russians who want to leave Syria torn by the ongoing civil conflict. The aircraft leave for Beirut on Tuesday, some 100 Russians are expected to be evacuated.

Two planes, Il-76 and Yak-42, both able to cary up to 120 passengers will be dispatched for Beirut, the ministry confirmed on Monday. The crews will include medics and psychologists.

About 150 Russian citizens, who want to leave Syria are already in Beirut. Most of those being evacuated are women and children.

[link to rt.com]

Very interesting related opinion piece from the Moscow Times


Decoy Maneuvers Near Syria
21 January 2013 | Issue 5051


The Defense Ministry announced on Saturday that long-anticipated naval exercises had finally begun in the Black and Mediterranean seas. Plans called for ships from the Black Sea, Baltic and Northern fleets to gather in the Mediterranean Sea. These include the missile cruiser Moskva, the large anti-submarine ship Severomorsk, the escort ships Smetlivy and Yaroslav Mudry, and assorted landing ships and support vessels. Strategic and tactical aircraft were also reported to have taken part in the maneuvers.

What exactly is going on near the Syrian coast? The four large landing ships at the core of the naval grouping seem to leave no doubt that these are primarily landing maneuvers. But for some reason, the military is doing its best to confuse the situation. On Jan. 11, Interfax wrote that "a source within the General Staff reported that ships of the unified interfleet grouping of the Navy are practicing a sea landing on the Syrian coast during joint maneuvers in the eastern Mediterranean Sea." According to the report, one of the key objectives of the grouping's maneuvers was to carry out scenarios for landing several units along with military equipment from four landing ships of the Baltic and Black Sea fleets."


The only rational explanation that troops could land on Syria's shores is to take control of the airport and conduct a mass evacuation of Russian citizens. But the number of troops involved is barely adequate even for that relatively modest task. The media have already reported that a crisis team at the Foreign Ministry is planning such an operation. This may include plans to evacuate Assad and his inner circle. But if the top brass is really planning to send in Russia's troops this way, divulging their intentions beforehand only puts the whole operation at risk.



Read more: [link to www.themoscowtimes.com]
The Moscow Times

Last Edited by Newshunter on 01/21/2013 02:28 PM