'Worst-Case Scenario' Prevented by Russian Warplanes in Syria

Russian actions have helped prevent a possible worst-case scenario in Syria, according to Russian defense expert Vladimir Bogatyrev.

In an interview with Sputnik, Russian defense expert Vladimir Bogatyrev said that a potential worst-case scenario in Syria was prevented by the efforts of Russia and its allies.

He referred to the anti-Daesh air campaign that the Russian Aerospace Forces launched in Syria in late September, which he said was of paramount importance to political stability in this Arab country.

"Who knows how the Syrian conflict would develop if Russia did not start this air operation. After all, [Syrian President] Assad was on the verge of losing control of his country at the beginning of September,"Bogatyrev said.

He stressed that it was "our interference that helped the West to understand the necessity of taking joint efforts" to resolve the Syrian gridlock, something that Bogatyrev said can be heard in the latest statements by top US officials.

#SYRIA #PHOTO Combat sorties of Rus air groups (#Hmeymim) https://t.co/JEhhZjbEOF pic.twitter.com/ilQQgHc7XL

— Минобороны России (@mod_russia) 16 декабря 2015

At the same time, he shared Assad's own standpoint: in an interview with the Dutch TV channel NPO2, Syria's president stated that the war in Syria shows no sign of ending due to the fact that Western countries were attempting to facilitate a change of power in the country.

Work on joining efforts of governmntl forces and other formations interested in liberation of #SYRIA from intl terrorists will be continued

— Минобороны России (@mod_russia) 15 декабря 2015

"If from the very beginning Western countries hadn't set a goal of toppling the Assad regime, we would not have seen what we have been witnessing in the past four years, including the rise of Daesh," Bogatyrev said.

#SYRIA Gen. Sergei #Rudskoy: Russian air group has performed 4201 sorties since Septmber 30 https://t.co/VnNy0I9WhF pic.twitter.com/jJ0U6dAkaM

— Минобороны России (@mod_russia) 15 декабря 2015

The Russian air campaign kicked off on September 30, when more than fifty Russian warplanes, including Su-24M, Su-25 and Su-34 jets, commenced precision airstrikes on Islamic State targets in Syria at the behest of Syrian President Bashar Assad.

Earlier that day, the Russian upper house of parliament unanimously supported the request of President Vladimir Putin to deploy units of the Russian Aerospace Forces abroad.

Syrian Ambassador to Russia Riad Haddad confirmed that Syrian Army strikes, supported by the Russian Aerospace Forces, were being carried out against armed terrorist organizations, not political opposition factions or civilians.