No serious threat of attack on Russian airbase in Syria - Kremlin chief of staff

MOSCOW, October 19. /TASS/. Russia has taken all the necessary measures to protect in air group in Syria, Sergey Ivanov, the chief of Russia’s presidential staff, said in an interview with TASS. "I wouldn't say there is a serious risk of an attack against the Russian air group in Syria," Ivanov said. "Theoretically everything is possible, but all precautions have been taken." "Our troops will not be involved in clashes on the ground. We declared that from the outset and in very clear terms," he added. "The air base from where our planes fly combat missions is inside an area under the full control of Syrian government forces. There is a certain level of protection, and a very serious one," Ivanov said. "Apart from the air pilots and the maintenance personnel based in Latakia there is a small commando unit responsible for guarding the airbase." "As for what has been said about the expected losses, we'd prefer to be more tactful and to avoid counting the US Marines who've already lost their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan," he said. -0- The full text of the interview is available at http://tass.ru/en Read more