JRL NEWSWATCH: “Moscow’s War in Syria” – CSIS

Syria Map

“… Russia’s military and diplomatic campaign in Syria [has been] the largest and most significant Russian out-of-area operation since the end of the Cold War. … and will shape [Russia’s] military thinking, influence promotion and personnel decisions, impact research and development for its arms industry, and expand its influence …. [D]espite the importance of Russia’s involvement in Syria – especially as the United States competes with countries such as Russia and China – there has been little systematic analysis …. This [report] … provides … new analysis and data. … [and] conducts a broad assessment of the Russian campaign – including political objectives, diplomatic initiatives, and civilian targeting – … plac[ing] the military campaign in a wider context. … [It also] compiles a data set of Russia’s civilian targeting … analyz[ing] satellite imagery …. [T]his report concludes that Russia was relatively successful in achieving its main near-term political and military objectives … including preventing the collapse of the [regional partner] Assad regime … thwarting a possible U.S. attempt to overthrow [him]. … Russia used …  systematic … attacks against civilian and humanitarian infrastructure …  attempt[ing] to deny resources – including food, fuel, and medical aid – to the opposition … simultaneously eroding the will of civilians to support opposition groups. …”

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