(Zama al-Wasl)- Russia officially began military air campaign in Syria on September 30 last year. According to experts, the Russian operations were more like training since the rebels do not have anti-aircraft weapons. Still, the rebels caused Russia, the second powerful state militarily, significant losses.
According to Zaman al-Wasl sources, 12 Sukhoi engines were impaired and out of service of types Su24, Su 25, Su 30, and Su 35. This is in addition to burning of 4 Ti 4 helicopters.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced recently that Russian warplanes performed more than 10,000 combat missions and bombed more than 30,000 targets since the start of the Russian air campaign in Syria.
Putin added that Russian forces performed 115 launches of the long-range cruise missiles and long-range Russian bombers performed more than 178 combat missions.
Putin mentioned the Russian air campaign in Syria showed the quality and efficiency of Russian weapons.
-Combat helicopters-
Regarding helicopters, rebels destroyed an Mi-8 on November 24 by Tao rocket while trying to rescue the staff of Sukhoi 24 which was dropped by a Turkish jet fighter after it violated Turkish air space.
On November 17, a Russian Mi-24 helicopter was impaired during Russian offensive on Talbiyse in Homs due to helicopter damage by anti-aircraft missiles and the violent move of the pilot which led to helicopter falling to the ground, but the staff survived.
Similarly, rebels damaged Mi-24 combat helicopter on October 9 in Kafar Naboudeh in Hama countryside following an attack on the village. The helicopter did an emergency landing and was transported to Hemeimem airport in Latakia countryside.
Another 4 Mi-24 combat helicopters were damaged and put out of service for about 20-40 days in offensives on Kafar Naboudeh, Talbiyse, Palmyra, and the coastal region. Mi-28 known as Night hunter crashed south of al-Qaryateen city in Homs countryside on April 12 during a night mission when it crashed in a rocky cliff and the staff did not survive.
3 Mi-35 combat helicopters were damaged during military operations in Hama, Homs and Latakia countryside.
Mechanically speaking, 12 revolving wings of helicopters were replaced due to great damages by anti-aircraft missiles as well as 8 rear wings.
Drones
Russia lost a big number of small-sized drones Eleron 3, but the most famous drones lost were Orlan 10. Three of those were dropped; one in Aleppo countryside, one in Sheikh Miskeen in Daraa, and 3 dropped by Turkey.
There are significant losses in a war in which rebels do not have real anti-aircraft missiles.
(Translation by Rana Abdul)
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