After the massive Turkish air attacks and the Downing of two Syrian fighter jets has Damascus closed its airspace: aircraft and drones should not fly over the North-West of the country and, in particular, the Region of Idlib, said the army. "Every plane that violates our airspace is classified as hostile and shot down."

The clear threat to the address of the Turkey weight, but only by the Nachdoppeln of Russia has in Syria, the control over air space. Moscow could not guarantee the safety of Turkish aircraft, said the Russian defense Ministry immediately. In fact, that is, If it is for us to colorful, from shooting you.

Despite the dangerous escalation in Russia and Turkey to hold back officially with direct blame. Moscow declared faithful-hearted, you have been killed by Syrian air strike last week, dozens of Turkish soldiers, over 2000 Syrian soldiers, nothing to do. Ankara stressed that it had "neither the desire nor the intention", with Russia and create. For years, the presidents of the two countries, Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan celebrate, a close male friendship. After the incident in Idlib on the phone immediately, on Thursday they meet for a crisis summit in Moscow.

A matter of time

Behind this backdrop of the men's friendship, the two rulers have hidden long the simple fact that is now obvious: Turkey and Russia on the field of battle as enemies. Both in Syria as in Libya. A military escalation, such as the death of the Turkish soldiers has triggered, it was only a matter of time.

For weeks, the Syrian troops back under the protection of the Russian-led air force against Idlib, the last rebel-held province. The Offensive has triggered a new humanitarian catastrophe: 900'000 people have been displaced according to the United Nations since December of Assad's troops.

On the other hand, is also pushing Turkey more and more to the Idlib, now Ankara has declared the Syrian Regime, in fact, the war. At the weekend, Erdogan had to attack dozens of targets in Syria, According to Turkish data, over 2000 Syrian soldiers were put "out of action". In the case of the shelling, dozens of tanks and helicopter have been destroyed and, apparently, also two fighter jets shot down. Russia should go to him in Syria and Turkey will do "what is necessary," said Erdogan, the Russian President, according to information from the attacks.

The Terrain is dangerous

Putin meets Erdogan to Please, but now it should be enough. Neither Ankara nor Moscow are keen on a direct confrontation. Any is likely to win the trial but Russia, which is working relentlessly to ensure that Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad gets the Land as completely as possible under his control. Putin will give in to Erdogan, therefore, at best temporary, because Moscow regarded the war in Syria as good as won.

And Turkey is more dependent on Russia than the other way around: Putin strengthens Erdogan the back against the Americans and Europeans who criticize him because of his autocratic course, and because of human rights violations. Moscow is building Turkey a nuclear power plant, provides Oil and weapons; trade to flourish. For Putin, Erdogan, it offers a welcome opportunity to annoy the EU and the Nato, whose member Turkey is actually. Such a powerful like-minded people of the Kremlin in the struggle against the West can always use good.

Therefore is expected to fight the two strong men of the recent case back together. Just as Moscow for years, doing everything possible to ignore the differences with Turkey to downplay or simply. This tactic has worked amazingly well.

has started now, where in Syria the last battle, will the Terrain always dangerous, the distance between the warring parties always low, the distance between the collisions are always shorter. An intermediate case could, therefore, lead easily to a direct confrontation between Russia and Turkey, which can be on the field of battle no longer control. And would then no longer be able to even talk about the two "friends" of Putin and Erdogan nice.

Created: 02.03.2020, 15:47 PM