International attention is turning back to the Syrian government as Russian involvement in the country grows increasingly more apparent. This week, more evidence emerged of the extent of this influence when satellite images showed Russian crafts parked in Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's strongholds.
Collected as part of a report by AllSourceAnalysis and the Institute for the Study of War, the images confirmed Russian military equipment at an airbase in the city of Latakia, the Syrian government's coastal stronghold. Battle tanks, helicopters and personnel carriers dotted the airbase in images captured on Sept. 18.
The analysis group captured another shot the following day, this time showing at least four Russian Su-27 fighter jets parked at the Latakia airbase. Introduced to Soviet forces in 1985, the jet was built to compete with US F-14 and F-15 fighter models. Today it's most closely comparable to the US-made F-15 Eagle.
Check out the AllSourceAnalysis' photo of the fighter jets below. Via Imgur.
Earlier this month, satellite images also identified ramped up contruction at the Al-Assad International Airsport in Latakia, potentially to prepare for Russian troops and equipment. Here's that image below, via Twitter.
Great coverage on our intelligence work with our partner @TheStudyofWar http://t.co/esEB7d1PtP #geoint #Russia pic.twitter.com/Wdx7u4830o
— AllSource Analysis (@AllSourceA) September 18, 2015
The images follow confirmation from a senior US official on Friday of Russia's new influence in Syria. The official told the New York Times four Russian Su-27 fighter aircraft, four large Hip troop-transport helicopters and four Hind helicopter gunships had appeared in Latakia in recent days.
