Russia Deploys Hundreds Of Soldiers For A Final Assault On The Syrian Rebel Stronghold Of Idlib

mil.ru

Moscow Times/Bloomberg: Putin's ‘Chef’ Preps Soldiers for Final Assault on Syrian Rebels

Russia’s military is incorporating mercenaries hired by a wealthy ally of President Vladimir Putin into its planned offensive to help Syria’s army retake the last major stronghold held by jihadist rebels, according to people with direct knowledge of the matter.

Hundreds of freelance fighters who answer to Yevgeny Prigozhin, the businessman known as “Putin’s chef” for his Kremlin catering contracts, are amassing near the northwestern Syrian city of Idlib for a full-scale assault that’s expected to start within weeks, the people said.

Grouped into tank-equipped units of 50 men each and backed by Russian air power, the plan is for these soldiers to work with uniformed Syrian forces, first to establish escape corridors for civilians, one of the people said. Then they’ll engage in the street-to-street fighting required to clear the heavily populated city of thousands of al-Qaeda-affiliated militants, he said. The operation, if it goes ahead, could take months.

Read more ....

Update: Hundreds Of Russian Troops Deploy To Idlib In Case Ceasefire Collapses: Report (Zero Hedge)

WNU editor: There are going to need more than just a few hundred soldiers. In the meantime the casualties mount .... 3 Russian Soldiers Killed in Syria – Military Source (Moscow Times).