The Russian Defense Ministry has remained silent regarding an overnight report that U.S. airstrikes last week in Syria resulted in the deaths of about 100 Russian soldiers, fueling speculation of a cover-up as the country prepares for a new presidential election.
Bloomberg broke the story this morning with an exclusive report that said “scores of Russian soldiers” were killed in the strikes that were in response to attacks on American positions east of the Euphrates River in Syria. That report cites U.S. and Russian sources who confirmed “more than 200 mercenaries, mostly Russians fighting on behalf of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, died in a failed attack on a base and refinery held by U.S. and U.S.-backed forces in the oil-rich Deir Ezzor region.”
The Pentagon insists it was in constant communication with the Russian government via the “deconfliction” hotline established last year. Meanwhile, the Russian side has been adamant that it had nothing to do with the attacks, raising the probability that those involved were part of the so-called “Wagner Group” of Chechen mercenaries President Vladimir Putin sent into Syria.
These mercenaries are “unsanctioned,” meaning they do not wear Russian uniforms or insignias, and they do not fly Russian flags, even if they are doing their government’s bidding. Interestingly, the Wagner Group has reportedly fought on both sides over the course of the Syrian Civil War.
The timing could be critical to the upcoming Russian presidential election. One of Putin’s opponents in next month’s election is calling for a full accounting of how many Russians were killed in the operation and how they were funded, calling it a “scandal.”
However, should Putin win a fourth term in office—and there remains little to suggest otherwise—this could become a national rallying cry for further military action against the U.S.
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