Russia Ramps Up Support of Syria's Assad

Russia ramps up support of Syria's Assad

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AP[/caption]Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey V. Lavrov, have denied reports that Russia is preparing to send more troops to Syria in support of President Bashar al-Assad. Reports of a meeting between Secretary of State John Kerry and Minister Lavrov have surfaced over US concern that any Russian involvement could be detrimental to American led coalition forces and US actions in the region. The denial could be another attempt by President Putin to cover up Russian Military action. From the New York Times:

WASHINGTON — Secretary of State John Kerry told his Russian counterpart on Saturday that the United States was deeply concerned by reports that the Kremlin may be planning to vastly expand its military support for President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, warning that such a move might even lead to a “confrontation” with the American-led coalition, the State Department said.

Mr. Kerry called Russia’s foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, “to discuss Syria, including U.S. concerns about reports suggesting an imminent enhanced Russian military buildup there,” the State Department said in an unusually blunt statement.

“The secretary made clear that if such reports were accurate, these actions could further escalate the conflict, lead to greater loss of innocent life, increase refugee flows and risk confrontation with the anti-ISIL Coalition operating in Syria,” the State Department added, using an acronym for the Islamic State.

See the full article at The New York Times.

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