Russia will be coordinating airstrikes in Syria with U.S.-led coalition - expert

Russia will be coordinating its airstrikes during the military operations in Syria with the members of the U.S.-led coalition to avoid “unnecessary incidents and undesirable complications that may emerge”, Igor Korotchenko, editor-in-chief of the National Defense Magazine has told EADaily.

Earlier Fox News reported citing the high-ranking official saying Russia demanded that American warplanes exit Syrian airspace immediately. It happened after the Council of Federation supported President Vladimir Putin’s Sept 30 proposal to authorize the use of Russia’s Armed Forces in Syria.  Afterwards, Fox News cited a representative of Pentagon saying the Russian airstrikes won't change the strategy of the U.S.-led coalition.

Korotchenko said it was reported by U.S. media. “I have heard no such statements from Russian officials,” he said. Anyway, Korotchenko said, the airstrikes will be coordinated.

As to the duration of the operation in Syria, Korotchenko said: “It is hard to say beforehand. Apparently, it will require at least several months to interact with the governmental troops in Syria that will be waging ground mission operation, to destroy the main body of the ‘Islamic States’,  suppress the armed resistance of the Islamists and upgrade the efficiency of further actions of the Syrian army.”