Russia May Fly Military Cargo to Syria: Report
Jun. 27, 2012 - 11:04AM |
By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
http://www.defensenews.com/article/20120627/DEFREG04/306270004/Russia-May-Fly-Military-Cargo-Syria-Report

MOSCOW — Russia may decide to fly a controversial military cargo of
helicopters and air defense systems to Syria after it abandoned an attempt
to ship the material by sea, according to a June 27 report.

The West wants Russia to halt military cooperation with Syria because of the
escalating conflict between the Damascus regime and rebels, but Moscow has
insisted it cannot break contracts.

A freighter, the Alaed, docked in the Russian Arctic port of Murmansk over
the weekend after turning back off the British coast. The ship halted its
voyage to Syria to deliver the military cargo when its British insurer
dropped coverage.

“The three Mi-25 helicopters and air defense systems could easily be
delivered to Syria by air,” a military source, who was not identified, told
the Interfax news agency.

“Russia has to fulfill its obligations. But everything will depend on if we
can resist pressure from the West, who want us to break military cooperation
with Syria,” the source said, adding a decision would be made soon.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has confirmed the Alaed was carrying
three attack helicopters Moscow had repaired for Damascus under a previous
agreement.

He said last week the cargo also included air defense systems but gave no
further details on the type or quantity on board.

Russia delivers a range of limited air defense systems to Syria but
reportedly has refused to provide the more advanced S-300 technology that it
had previously also failed to give to Iran under Western pressure.

The Vedomosti business daily reported June 26 that Russia this year chose to
withhold the S-300 from Syria, despite a $105 million delivery contract
being signed by the system’s producer and Damascus in 2011.

Military experts have speculated that the Alaed was carrying the more basic
Russian Buk-M2e air defense systems for Syria, whose forces last week shot
down a Turkish warplane off the Syrian coast.

In Murmansk, the Alaed’s flag has been changed to a Russian flag from that
of the Caribbean island of Curacao.

But Russia has yet to confirm if the ship will now make a repeat attempt to
reach the Syrian port of Tartus or travel on to Russia’s Far East port city
of Vladivostok as originally planned.