There continues to be a cautious and indecisive attempt at a Kremlin response to the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria. Sentinel-2 satellite images from December 10 show that the Russian ships have not yet returned to the Syrian port of Tartus.
This is what the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) writes.
MT Anderson identified four Russian ships in this radius as of December 10 - the submarine frigate and the oil tanker.
Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov emphasized that it is "difficult to predict" what will happen in Syria, but that Russia will continue the dialogue with all countries.
Ukraine's General Directorate of Military Intelligence (GUR) reported on December 10 that Russian forces were still withdrawing troops from Khmeimim with An-124 and Il-76 military transport aircraft and "dismantling" equipment in Tartus under the supervision of recently deployed Russian special forces.
Russia intends to supply North Korea with fighter jets amid a growing military partnership between the two countries. US Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) commander Admiral Samuel Paparo revealed on December 10 that Russia and North Korea had struck a deal in which Russia agreed to send MiG-29 and Su-27 fighter jets to Pyongyang in exchange for the North Korea to deploy troops in Russia to support Russia's war in Ukraine.
Papparo stressed that receiving these aircraft from North Korea would improve its military capabilities and that Pyongyang likely expects additional military equipment and technology from Russia, including ballistic missiles, submarine technology and air defense systems, as part of the agreement.
Papparo noted that North Korean soldiers remain in combat zones, possibly in the Kursk region, but are not yet actively fighting. South Korea's TV Chosun published an exclusive report on October 21 stating that North Korea had sent an unspecified number of fighter pilots to Vladivostok ahead of the deployment of ground troops to Russia in early October, possibly in an effort to train its pilots to fly Russian fighter jets .
North Korean pilots are training on Russian Su-25 attack aircraft, already part of the Korean People's Army Air Force fleet, further indicating that the Russian delivery of fighter jets will be beneficial and expand North Korea's military capabilities. especially in air area.
ISW continues to assess that military cooperation between Russia and North Korea has intensified especially since the two countries signed their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty in June 2024. and especially after its entry into force on December 4.
Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh in Moscow on December 10, as India continues to make efforts to balance military-technical cooperation with Russia and maintain good relations with key Western allies.
Singh announced the commissioning of the Russian-made Burevestnik Krivak-class frigate. project 1135 "Tushil" in the Indian Navy at the shipyard "Yantar" in the Kaliningrad region on December 9.
Indian newspaper The Sunday Guardian reported on December 8 that India and Russia were finalizing a deal for India to purchase a Russian-made early warning radar system with a range of over 6,000 kilometers, possibly the Voronezh radar.
The Sunday Guardian noted that it is not clear exactly which radar system Russia intends to sell to India, and that Indian officials may have requested an upgraded version of the Voronezh radar.
Bloomberg reported on December 3 that India has sharply reduced its defense equipment orders from Russia and started buying defense equipment from Western suppliers, but underscoring the tenuous balance India is striking between Russia and its Western partners.