clear

Creating new perspectives since 2009

Russia builds new military airbase near Homs

December 2, 2015 at 1:45 pm

British media has revealed Russia’s plan to open a new military airbase near the central Syrian city of Homs to accommodate warplanes and additional troops.

According to The Times newspaper, the new airbase is called Al-Shayrat and it is the home of Russia’s attack helicopters. In a report published yesterday, the paper revealed that a Russian team arrived at the site “about a month ago and brought in new equipment” in order to prepare it for opening.

Sources said that there are between 50 to 60 Russian military officials living in special homes in the base and that more officials are already living in Homs itself.

Reports from the Middle East suggest that Russia has 50 military planes at the base and that around 1,000 Russian troops have been deployed in the area.

In addition, The Times said that Russian had pledged to increase the number of planes to 100, depending on the need of its ground forces.

According to the report, Russian has also sent a “big number” of TOS 1 rocket launchers to Homs, which are designed to explode in the fortified bases of the enemy.