Quite a few Russian blogs have shared an animated GIF of what is purportedly an Uran-9 “combat multi-functional robotic complex” moving across Syrian desert. Sorry to disappoint guys, but it is most likely a Soviet era main battle tank T-62M. The original video from which the clip was cut, was published on 20 February, 2017, […]
Syria
The Curious Case of Daniil Martynov
On 1 February, 2017, Russian news agencies reported that Daniil Martynov has been appointed Deputy Head of the National Guard (Rosgvardiya) for the Chechen Republic. His appointment and profile shed some light on idiosyncrasies and overlaps of defence and security apparatuses in modern day Russia. One upon a time, Daniil Martynov served as a Major […]
Admiral Kuznetsov’s deployment was not just for showmanship
Russia’s sole aircraft carrier Admiral Kunzetsov is back home in the Murmansk region after taking part in the Syrian military campaign. According to Nikolai Evmenov, commander of the Russian Northern Fleet, in-all, 420 sorties were conducted, 117 of them at night. Genetically, Soviet designed Proekt 1143.5 was not intended for power projection ashore. Ability of […]
Is this a proof that there is more than one S-400 battery in Syria?
In the latest episode of “Serving Russia!” – a series of popular Russian defence reports by Telekanal Zvezda(see below) at 1:55 minute mark, two 96L6 acquisition radars can be seen about 3O meters apart from one another at what is most probably Russia’s Hmeimim (Khmeimim) airbase in Syria. Official Russian marketing literature refers to 96L6 […]
OKO-2 ground-penetrating system active in Syria
On 15 January,2016, Russian REN TV aired a report form Syria, about Russian army operations in the city of Aleppo. OKO-2 AB-150M ground-penetrating radar(GPR) and it accompanying remote control unit can be clearly seen from 1:34 mark on the REN TV video below(in Russian). Oko-2 is employed in Syria to detect IEDs and ordnance stashed […]
Uran-9 to make its combat debut in Syria(?)
The latest edition of The Sunday Times, published on 8 January, 2017, featured a story titled “Russia to deploy tank drone”. Citing unnamed “western intelligence sources”, the story alleges that: “The Uran-9 is due to make its operational debut in the next few months as Russian-backed Syrian forces fight to regain control of territory occupied […]
Mine clearing robot and jammer spotted in Syria
In a latest set of pictures released by the Russian Ministry of Defence on 2 January, 2017, featuring Russian sappers in Aleppo, Syria, a mine clearing system Uran-6 and BTR-82A mounted RP-377UVM2 jammer are clearly visible. Mine clearing system Uran-6, Aleppo, Syria, 30 December, 2016. RP-377UVM2 jammer mounted atop BTR-82A APC is partially visible in […]
Russian robots see action in Syria and Caucasus
In the last few weeks, two separate Russian media reports featured two different types of combat robotic vehicles in action in Syria and Caucasus respectively. In Russia these remotely operated combat vehicles are know as Automated Combat Systems or Boevoi Avtomatizirovanoi Sistemi(BAS). On 4 December, 2016, Russian media reported that five islamic radicals suspected of […]