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Syria serves as a "military school" for Russian forces and a "testing ground" to test its weapons

Shoygu: 300 models of weapons have been upgraded after testing them in real war conditions in Syria
Russian Defence Minister Sergey Shoygu confirmed the testing of the newest types of Russian weapons during military operations in Syria. He added that Syria has served as a "military school" that provided combat experience opportunities for all participating senior officers and non-commissioned Russian military officers "in real war conditions".
Shoygu's statements, given in an extensive interview with Moscow newspaper "Moskovskij Komsomolets", are not the first for a Russian official declaring the use of operations in Syria to test and improve modern Russian weapons systems. However, Shoygu went further when he defended the specification and the capabilities of modern Russian weapons, as part of its commercial promotion. He identified the enemy against whom Russia have used those weapons in Syria as a strong one who possesses the most advanced types of weapons.
During the dialogue between the Moskovskij Komsomolets’ journalist and Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu, a consensus emerged between the two on the considerable benefit Russian forces have received since Russian military intervention in Syria. This was evident from the wording of a question to which the intro was confirming that "the activity of the Russian Air Force during the course of the civil war in Syria added a lot of prestige to our armed forces."
After the introduction, came up the question: "Can we rely on this scene, in which a large but limited number have participated on our side, to judge the general status of our armed forces? " Shoygu began answering by inflating the "capabilities of the adversary" faced by Russian forces. "They are very mistaken, those who think we have fought in Syria with a class of primitive militants," he said.
The Russian defence minister decided to ignore the fact that the Russian forces mainly supported the Syrian regime in its operations against areas controlled by the Syrian opposition that do not have powerful and modern weapons. He instead, focused on ISIS terrorists, saying that Russian forces have fought against a huge terrorist organisation with thousands of militants. He described it as "a system that has the support of specific countries interested in destabilizing the region." He then went on to show the organization's tremendous military technical capabilities. "The terrorists had hundreds of tanks, assault rifles and armoured vehicles," he said, “And hundreds of thousands tons of ammunition have been seized in the past years from Iraqi and Syrian forces, as well as hundreds of suicide bombers, and the latest technologies including communication system and reconnaissance equipment."
The operation in Syria appears to have served as a school for Russian forces and a laboratory to test modern weapons. According to Shoygu, commanders of regiments and priority, commanders of the armies (Russian forces of several armies), commanders of forces in the federal military departments, heads of central administrative bodies of the Russian Defence Ministry, and even "faculty members of all higher military educational institutions" have gained combat experience in Syria. All of them "passed the Syrian experience," Shoygu said, adding that "90 percent of the Russian air force, including the commanders and technicians of bombers, fighter jets, long-range bombers and transport planes, passed through combat operations in Syria."
He declared that some of the pilots carried out 150-200 combat sorties; meaning that they were able to develop their combat skills during operations in Syria. Needless to mention the technicians and personnel who also gained experience in Syria by being responsible for preparing the aircraft before taking off.
Shoygu also confirmed the testing of the latest Russian weapons in Syria, the modification of some of them and the withdrawal of others from production as a result of those tests.
“President (Putin) was directly instructing to modify or improve specific weapons specifications based on the results of the work in Syria," Shoygu explained.
He pointed out that as a result of the "experience gained in Syria," which is the testing of weapons during operations in Syria, "300 models of weapons have been updated, and 12 models of promising weapons have been withdrawn from production and service in the Russian forces."
Winged Kalibr missiles were among the weapons that were modified to improve their performance after testing in the Syrian operation.
According to Russian officials, the use of Russian weapons in Syria has elevated the demand for these weapons. In his comments in February 2017, Sergey Chemezov director of the state-owned company Rostec, described the Russian military operation in Syria as "free propaganda" for Russian weapons, confirming that it has positively affected the Russian arms sales.
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BENEFIT AGM approves 10%...
- March 27, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).
Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.
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