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A source close to Russian President Vladimir Putin told me that the Russians have warned Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that Moscow is prepared to use tactical nuclear weapons if necessary to save their troops in the face of a Turkish-Saudi onslaught. Since Turkey is a member of NATO, any such conflict could quickly escalate into a full-scale nuclear confrontation.
[r]eiterates its call in resolution 2249 (2015) for Member States to prevent and suppress terrorist acts committed specifically by Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as Da'esh), Al-Nusra Front (ANF), and all other individuals, groups, undertakings, and entities associated with Al Qaeda or ISIL, and other terrorist groups, [...] and to eradicate the safe haven they have established over significant parts of Syria, and notes that the aforementioned ceasefire will not apply to offensive or defensive actions against these individuals, groups, undertakings and entities, as set forth in the 14 November 2015 ISSG Statement;The resolution also underlines Syria's sovereignty. The UNSC is:
Reaffirming its strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic, and to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, ...The whole UNSC, including the U.S., France and Britain, agreed to this resolution.
Russia has sent five additional Mig-29 fighter jets and a multipurpose helicopter to its military base in Armenia, the Defense Ministry reported.Also: Did Russia really just threaten Turkey with tactical nuclear weapons?
The aircraft have been transported to a military airfield in the Armenian capital of Yerevan and will soon arrive at Erebuni airfield, where planes attached to the 102th military are based, the command for the South-Eastern Military District said on Saturday.
"Soon military engineers will assemble generation 4+ fighter jets and the Mi-8MT helicopter, which will then enter service," the report said. "The unit's pilots will start practice flights on the new Mig-29s in mid-March."
Comment: U.S. tells Russia, "stop bombing al-Qaeda", violates own UNSC resolution