Russia's Hi-Tech Campaign in Syria Becomes a 'Sobering Experience' for NATO

© Sputnik / Dmitri Vinogradov / Go to the mediabankRussian Su-30 jets landing at the Hmeymim airbase, Syria
Russian Su-30 jets landing at the Hmeymim airbase, Syria - Sputnik International
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American and European military officials, who thought that Russia's military capabilities were outdated if not lacking, were in for a rude awakening when Moscow launched its high-tech counterterrorism operation in Syria.

Russia has been relentless in its efforts to assist Damascus-led forces, who are fighting to tackle the foreign-sponsored violent insurgency in Syria. To this end, Russia has sent brand new tactical aircraft, strategic bombers and cruise missiles into battle. It has also showcased its impressive electronic warfare capabilities, which Lt. General Ben Hodges, commander of US Army Europe, once described as "eye-watering."

© Sputnik / Dmitriy Vinogradov / Go to the mediabankA Russian pilot gets into a Su-24 aircraft before taking off at the Hmeymim airbase in Syria.
Russian military air group at Hmeymim airbase in Syria - Sputnik International
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A Russian pilot gets into a Su-24 aircraft before taking off at the Hmeymim airbase in Syria.
© Sputnik / Dmitriy Vinogradov / Go to the mediabankAn S-400 air defence missile system is deployed for a combat duty at the Hmeymim airbase to provide security of the Russian air group's flights in Syria
An S-400 air defence missile system is deployed for a combat duty at the Hmeymim airbase to provide security of the Russian air group's flights in Syria - Sputnik International
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An S-400 air defence missile system is deployed for a combat duty at the Hmeymim airbase to provide security of the Russian air group's flights in Syria
© Photo : Russian Defence MinistryEveryday life of the Russian air group at the Hmeymim airfield in Syria
Everyday life of the Russian air group at the Hmeymim airfield in Syria - Sputnik International
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Everyday life of the Russian air group at the Hmeymim airfield in Syria
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A Russian pilot gets into a Su-24 aircraft before taking off at the Hmeymim airbase in Syria.
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An S-400 air defence missile system is deployed for a combat duty at the Hmeymim airbase to provide security of the Russian air group's flights in Syria
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Everyday life of the Russian air group at the Hmeymim airfield in Syria

Everyday life of the Russian air group at the Hmeymim airfield in Syria - Sputnik International
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Daesh's 120 Days of Hell: Russia's Success on Syrian Battlefield and Beyond
It might have come as a shock to many in the West, but "Russia can be innovative in weapons design, and sometimes ahead of the West," Popular Mechanics pointed out. Indeed, some of the armaments produced in Russia have "no counterparts in the US." Moscow has showcased some of those in Syria.

Weapons are not the only factor that matters. Although the operation in Syria has been limited in its scope, Russian warplanes sometimes fly more missions daily than the US-led coalition does in a month. "This is in marked contrast, Western military planners have noted, to how quickly [NATO] began to feel the strain when bombing Libya and Kosovo," the Independent asserted.

© SputnikLibya pummeled by Tuesday night NATO airstrikes
Libya pummeled by Tuesday night NATO airstrikes - Sputnik International
Libya pummeled by Tuesday night NATO airstrikes

Russia's anti-Daesh efforts have paid off. "It is this military might that is underpinning President Vladimir Putin's strategic triumphs. His intervention in Syria has been a game changer and what happens there now lies, to a large extent, in his hands," the newspaper added, calling Russia's campaign a "sobering experience" for the North Atlantic Alliance.

"Anyone who wants anything done in [the Middle East] is beating a path to Moscow," a senior analyst in Israeli military intelligence told the Independent.

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