The first Russian air strikes in Syria are definitely a game changer. But for whom? Far from IS group strongholds, Moscow has been pounding positions in the West. The Western-backed Free Syrian Army claims they were the ones targeted. If confirmed, that would add credence to French accusations that the main aim is to prop up the regime of Bashar al-Assad. Either way, it's a dramatic move that follows a much-anticipated first speech in a decade by Putin before the UN General Assembly.
Caption
Gunners from the Armed Forces of Ukraine fire at Russian position with a 155 mm self-propelled howitzer 2C22 in the Kharkiv region on April 21, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/AFP via Getty Images)