Increase in UAV Attacks on Russian Stronghold in Syria

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Unmanned aerial vehicles have been employed extensively by the various players in the Syrian arena. Russia’s Hmeimim airbase in Syria has intercepted a total of 45 UAVs in one month.”Over the past month, 45 UAVs equipped with improvised explosive devices were destroyed by the base’s air defense or (by) means of radio-electronic warfare systems. Five drones were shot down over the past three days,” the Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov was quoted by Russian media.

Saying that attempts to commit terrorist attacks involving UAVs have increased over the past month, he noted that the UAVs are supported by modern technology, in particular, navigation systems, control systems and explosive devices.

Russian experts analyzed the UAVs that were intercepted and concluded that they were assembled according to a clear instruction developed by specialists.

The Hmeimim airbase in Syria’s northwestern province of Latakia is the largest Russian-run military facility in the country. In the last few months, the airbase has encountered frequent attacks and its air defenses have intercepted or destroyed a number of unidentified objects targeting the base, as reported by xinhuanet.com.

Russian positions in Syria, including its embassy in the capital Damascus, have repeatedly been targeted by rebels who oppose Russia’s role in supporting the Syrian government.

The spokesman said that the drones downed by Hmeimim air defense assets appeared primitive but had a range of 100 kilometers and used advanced technologies. The drones  could not have been assembled by militants “without any outside help”, he said.

The attacks were launched by Idlib-based militants. Idlib, a governorate on the Turkish border, is one of the last strongholds still held by foreign-backed militants in Syria, according to presstv.com.