Ruslan Leviev and the usual suspects, that is!Another questionable drama that has made the rounds in the msm & the so called alternative media. The Russian build up!Prior to and since the NATO destabilization:
Russia had troops in SyriaRussia had military equipment in Syria.Russian citizens resided in SyriaRussia has assisted Syria in multiple ways- Not just militarily. Also financially & with food aid.Not to forget the entire situation surrounding the whole chemical weapons psyop.
In other words Russian involvement has always been a fact in the Syrian situation.Now about all these unsubstantiated claims of an unusual, abnormal Russian build up? How legitimate have these claims been? I can’t find anything of substance, personally speaking.Saker had his doubts and I expressed mine over there last week. My comment was sort of like this: I’m not touching this one as presented! Why? Because every single news item regarding this build up was full of, maybe, possibly and might be. CNN
“If such a buildup occurred” “unnamed US officials” “The evidence reportedly includes”"If the Russians are indeed increasing their military presence in Syria.....”
Everything is speculative. There is not one statement of fact contained in the multitude of reports.Russia's statement regarding this rumourSANA and Hurriyet both published the same Russian statement
“The Russian side has never concealed the fact that it is sending military equipment to the Syrian authorities to help them fight terrorism,” Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told AFP, commenting on the Kerry-Lavrov phone talks.
That’s a fact. Russia has never concealed that they send military equipment, food, etc to Syria. That reality has been covered here at the blog on more then one occasion.Where might this build up meme have originated?
“A prominent Russian blogger suggested over the weekend that Moscow was apparently building up its military presence in Syria to help prop up Assad.
The blogger Ruslan Leviyev - known for his investigations into Russian military activity in Ukraine - referred to widely-circulated footage from Syria apparently showing a Russian-made BTR-82A armoured personnel carrier as well as reports on social networks that Russian paratroopers have been dispatched to Syria.
Ruslan Liviyev?Who is this guy? Of course I went to look!Lone Russian activists battle to prove Kremlin troops in UkraineLone “activist”- Oh, isn't this a familiar theme?!Affiliated with bellingcat/ and the brown moses crowdBellingcat republished Ruslan’s post in English today. When did Ruslan’s claims first appear on line? I am uncertain exactly, but, it sure looks as if Ruslan the lone activist, with the help of his friends at Sohr and Al Nusra (Israel) were the originators of this entire narrative! From bellingcat: Russian troops in Syria
This post originally appeared on the LiveJournal of Ruslan Leviev in both Russian and English. The following text is a cross-post of the English translation that appeared on Leviev’s personal blog.
Is this the information being used to present what appears to be nothing more then unsubstantiated, unverifiable claims? Videos and images from SOHR and Al Nusra?I fail to see anything proving a massive Russian build up in Syria from the main stream media or a curious activists and his friends. And that is what is being claimed!Image from "lone activist" narrative If this activist and friends are the source for the claims, I have to ask why so many are spreading what is little more then gossip? Has it not occurred to the meme spreaders that this narrative, alongside the boy on a beach psy op- “Boy on a Beach” Narrative Riddled with Inconsistencies & Agenda Pushing - are being pushed to justify increased military intervention in Syria? Widening war. Killing and displacing more humans. Why fan that flame?This post was followed up on, out of sheer necessity:
No Reason for Russia to Deploy Troops- Alternative media spins for NATO
From earlier: