(Zaman Al Wasl)- May 14 was a catastrophic day for the Russian Federation the inheritor of the Soviet Union, where helicopters and fighter jets belonging to the Russian air force in the central part of Syria burned in an incident that is the first of its kind since the removal of the red Soviet Union flag from the face of the Kremlin building on the 26 of December 1991, announcing the collapse of the Soviet Union.
A well-informed source told Zaman al-Wasl clarifying that incineration happened in Tiyas airport (T4) in Homs countryside, and the flames reached the weapons of the latest MI-28 Russian fighter helicopters.
Sources revealed that the Russian helicopters were in position and armed since the early hours of the morning on the 14th of May in the main aviation square in the eastern section of the airport runway, whereas the Russian technical personnel and experts were sitting close to the main aviation square.
The sources added that the personnel had gathered some wood to light a fire for a barbecue, and no sooner had they lit the fire that the flames ignited, due to wind, the dry weeds close to where they were located until the fire spread at high speed in the shrubbery areas around the aviation square until it reached the ammunition boxes lined up behind the position helicopters in the square to for a fire to start.
To this end, the ammunition and missile boxes (the missiles are specialized for the Russian helicopters directed or undirected) started to explode in sequence whereas all the Russian personnel escaped as did the al-Assad regime personnel for fear of being hit by shrapnel.
The sources revealed that the massive explosions hit 4 Russian fighter helicopters of the type MI-28 and fire started in two fighter jets one of them a Sukhoi 24 and an Albatros L39 which belong to Assad air force. The fire extended to consume some of the technical machines placed around the aviation square and squadron building until it expanded with great speed in all directions, while rocket and ammunition shrapnel showered down on the area behind the aviation square.
The events happened in conjunction with the fire brigade team’s inability to get close to the fire due to the missile shrapnel, in addition to the lack of modern fire engines in the fire brigade company inside the airport where the vehicles available are limited to Zil fire engine which are unsuitable for use.
The losses are as follows: 3 modern Russian fighter helicopters were completely burnt. Another helicopter of the same model was burnt partially and can be fixed in Russia. In addition to, the partial incineration of two fighter jets belonging to Assad, and a number of technical machines.
In addition to the above mentioned, a number of Russian soldiers and Assad forces suffered injuries and minor burns during their attempt to put out the fire surrounding the aviation square, but not deaths were recorded.
In related news, the American geopolitical company Stratfor, for security and strategic studies, published last Tuesday images from the 14th to the 17th of May which were taken using satellite, where it confirmed the damages of the T4 base known as Tiyas base which lies between Homs and Palmyra.
According to the company, the images clarified that 4 helicopters and 20 trucks were damaged due to the fire inside the base as a result of artillery fire executed by ISIS, and the images showed the 4 Russian helicopters (ME 24) type and that they were completely destroyed.
The company clarified in a report that the images showed ISIS fighters who executed an attack on the air force base, indicating that the places where the ammunition exploded were clear in the pictures as was the damage suffered by the Syrian MiG 25 fighter jet, where the Russian media outlet Ria Novosti announced news based on a Syrian source confirming that a fire had occurred in the base.
From his side, a Syrian source for the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights mentioned that ISIS fighters bombed the T4 base on 11 May, whereas the media outlet Aamaq (Depth) close to ISIS state news of the destruction of 4 Russian helicopters and 20 trucks carrying missiles in T4 base due to fire without revealing further details.
As per usual for the Assad regime, Russia denied that its helicopters were damaged due to an ISIS attack on a base for it in Syria and this came after the American Stratfor company issued its report revealing the damages the base the Russians use in the center of the country suffered. (Translation by Rana Abdul)
A well-informed source told Zaman al-Wasl clarifying that incineration happened in Tiyas airport (T4) in Homs countryside, and the flames reached the weapons of the latest MI-28 Russian fighter helicopters.
Sources revealed that the Russian helicopters were in position and armed since the early hours of the morning on the 14th of May in the main aviation square in the eastern section of the airport runway, whereas the Russian technical personnel and experts were sitting close to the main aviation square.
The sources added that the personnel had gathered some wood to light a fire for a barbecue, and no sooner had they lit the fire that the flames ignited, due to wind, the dry weeds close to where they were located until the fire spread at high speed in the shrubbery areas around the aviation square until it reached the ammunition boxes lined up behind the position helicopters in the square to for a fire to start.
To this end, the ammunition and missile boxes (the missiles are specialized for the Russian helicopters directed or undirected) started to explode in sequence whereas all the Russian personnel escaped as did the al-Assad regime personnel for fear of being hit by shrapnel.
The sources revealed that the massive explosions hit 4 Russian fighter helicopters of the type MI-28 and fire started in two fighter jets one of them a Sukhoi 24 and an Albatros L39 which belong to Assad air force. The fire extended to consume some of the technical machines placed around the aviation square and squadron building until it expanded with great speed in all directions, while rocket and ammunition shrapnel showered down on the area behind the aviation square.
The events happened in conjunction with the fire brigade team’s inability to get close to the fire due to the missile shrapnel, in addition to the lack of modern fire engines in the fire brigade company inside the airport where the vehicles available are limited to Zil fire engine which are unsuitable for use.
The losses are as follows: 3 modern Russian fighter helicopters were completely burnt. Another helicopter of the same model was burnt partially and can be fixed in Russia. In addition to, the partial incineration of two fighter jets belonging to Assad, and a number of technical machines.
In addition to the above mentioned, a number of Russian soldiers and Assad forces suffered injuries and minor burns during their attempt to put out the fire surrounding the aviation square, but not deaths were recorded.
In related news, the American geopolitical company Stratfor, for security and strategic studies, published last Tuesday images from the 14th to the 17th of May which were taken using satellite, where it confirmed the damages of the T4 base known as Tiyas base which lies between Homs and Palmyra.
According to the company, the images clarified that 4 helicopters and 20 trucks were damaged due to the fire inside the base as a result of artillery fire executed by ISIS, and the images showed the 4 Russian helicopters (ME 24) type and that they were completely destroyed.
The company clarified in a report that the images showed ISIS fighters who executed an attack on the air force base, indicating that the places where the ammunition exploded were clear in the pictures as was the damage suffered by the Syrian MiG 25 fighter jet, where the Russian media outlet Ria Novosti announced news based on a Syrian source confirming that a fire had occurred in the base.
From his side, a Syrian source for the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights mentioned that ISIS fighters bombed the T4 base on 11 May, whereas the media outlet Aamaq (Depth) close to ISIS state news of the destruction of 4 Russian helicopters and 20 trucks carrying missiles in T4 base due to fire without revealing further details.
As per usual for the Assad regime, Russia denied that its helicopters were damaged due to an ISIS attack on a base for it in Syria and this came after the American Stratfor company issued its report revealing the damages the base the Russians use in the center of the country suffered. (Translation by Rana Abdul)
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