The Russian Ministry of Defense has redeployed at least three teams of special departments, active in Ukraine, in Syria. According to the Pentagon, the one sent to Syria is a force similar to the American Delta that will have the task of coordinating the attacks on the ground against the enemy positions to the Assad regime (Islamic State and "moderate" forces supported by the US). The Kremlin has not confirmed or denied such rumors, but the presence of the new teams would seem certain.
There are no doubts - continue from the US Department of Defense - in Syria "green men" were sent.
The "green men" officially came into action during the Crimean crisis, when they occupied the international airport and the parliament of Simferopol, as well as most of the military bases in the peninsula.
The term "green men" was coined because of their camouflage clothing, typically Russian. These masked men (in fact green) were initially defined by Putin himself as "foreign units that came into possession of Russian equipment", but then stated, last year's 17, membership of the regular army. What the West calls "green men" are actually an elite unit Specnaz at home known as "Вежливые люди" or "educated people". The term was coined by blogger Boris Rozhin, editor-in-chief of the Voice of Sevastopol. Speaking of the conquest of the Ukrainian airport by Russian forces, Rozhin ironically stressed that "those soldiers kindly asked the entire service personnel to leave the facilities". A term that the Kremlin liked so much that it was officially adopted.
The specnaz unit formed by the "educated people", also received a motto: "Courtesy is a power that can open any door". The history of "green men" has exceeded all expectations and a very popular clothing line has also been created in Russia. Analyzing the standard equipment of the "green men", we can say that, almost certainly, they are chosen elements of the "45th Guards Specnaz Regiment" under the direct control of the Russian secret services.
Created in the 1994 as a "sub-unit of the future" it specializes in unconventional counter-insurgency tactics. The two battalions of the regiment are probably among the most modern of the Russian army, with the use of experimental equipment. Putin's last card could be seen as an attempt to accelerate the war in Syria. Russia, despite proclamations, is still unable to sustain a long-term conflict. The use of "kind people" (given their decisive use in all the operations they took part in) should give the Kremlin considerable tactical advantages.
Putin, who received a monstrous 89,9% in the latest poll in his homeland, knows perfectly well that Syria could turn into a new Afghanistan. Despite the consensus, the Russians still remember the losses they suffered during the 1979-1989 conflict and the Soviet government's attempts to minimize the scale of the clashes. But it is undeniable that even now the Russian propaganda machine is operating at full capacity.
A powerful ground offensive is needed to defeat the Islamic State and guarantee Assad. And who knows if the Russians are not preparing public opinion precisely for this purpose.
(photo: web)
