The start of the missions of the Russian Air Force against terrorists of the Islamic state in Syria has left and positive results in the fight against jihadist movement, thanks to the accurate shots of Russian fighters. Moscow's actions have also served to prevent the US-led coalition got to implement a no-fly zone, similar to what happened in Libya in 2011, diplomatic sources said.
"The fundamental reason for everything that is happening is the renewed attention to Syria and the need to find a political solution. We hope to accomplish this by using the no-fly zones," said a European diplomat quoted by 'The Financial Times'.
Last week, Russia deployed in Jmeimim air base near the Syrian city of Latakia, Su-30SM, as revealed by the representative of the Russian Aerospace Forces Igor Klimov. "This is a super maneuverable fighter with variable thrust vectoring already entered service a few years ago," he said the military was quoted by RIA Novosti.
This aircraft belongs to Generation 4 ++ and is designed for missions of air superiority and destroy objects on the ground and in the air. "The Su-30SM is equipped with heat-guided missiles, with a range up to 30 miles-plus other radar-guided missiles, whose range is up to 60 kilometers, which can destroy any flying object suspicious," he said Klimov.
From the sea, the base is protected mainly by the missile cruiser Moskva, which has S-300 anti-aircraft units, capable of reaching almost any military aircraft in a range of 150 kilometers.
"Due to the deployment of Russian forces, the establishment by the United States and its allies of any fly zones over the Libyan model is now impossible. Unless the coalition is actually ready to shoot down Russian planes" says Justin Bronk analyst 'Royal United Services Institute'.
In March 2011 the Security Council authorized a UN intervention in the civil war in Libya under the pretext of protecting the civilian population. Imposing a no-fly zone contributed to the subsequent murder of the then Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.