Chief of the Russian General Staff Gen. Valery Gerasimov, during his briefing to foreign military attachés in Moscow yesterday, noted that conditions in Southwest Asia have been steadily deteriorating. He described: “The situation in the Middle East is steadily deteriorating. The risks of the crisis escalating into a regional war remain. The most significant factor characterizing the situation in the region was the actual destruction of statehood in the Syrian Arab Republic.
“On 27 November, an opposition offensive began from the Idlib de-escalation zone. Government forces were unable to offer sufficient resistance. This is due to the Syrian army’s inability to conduct regular combat training and the low morale of its personnel due to the prolonged economic crisis caused by the unprecedented sanctions imposed by the United States and its allies. In turn, Russia made attempts at a Syrian peace settlement in the Astana Format, but this did not suit primarily the U.S.A. and the U.K.”
Gerasimov also touched on other regions in crisis:
On Africa, Gerasimov stressed that Ukrainian-backed terrorist organizations pose a particular threat to the security of the Sahel region. “It is about training terrorists in the use of UAVs, training in subversive activities against civilians. For our part, we will continue to support African partners in defending sovereignty and ensuring a safe environment for their development,” he said.
