Ain Issa | As Russian and regime forces’ movements continue in the region, Turkish forces withdraw heavy weapons

Very reliable sources have informed the Syrian Observatory that Turkish forces withdrew their heavy weapons and gears from Kuramuzat village in Ain Issa city in northern Al-Raqqah. The reasons behind this development, which coincides with ongoing movements by Russian and regime forces in Ain Issa, have not been known yet.

Russian Imperial Movement Provides Weapons & Combat Training To German Neo-Nazis

German neo-Nazis are training with the far-right Russian Imperial Movement (RIM) to gain proficiency in more advanced military-style tactics, according to a report by German news magazine Focus. The RIM, which was recently designated by the United States as Specially Designated Global Terrorists, is said to have hosted extremists who belonged to the youth wings of two German political parties considered to be neo-Nazi movements, the National Democratic Party and The Third Path. The training reportedly took place at a camp known as Partizan near Saint Petersburg, where former Russian military members conduct trainings on bombmaking, marksmanship, combat medicine, and small-group tactics such as assaulting and clearing buildings.

Liwa al-Areen: A Russian-Backed Formation

“Liwa al-Areen: The Forces Working with the Russian Federation.”

When observers think of Russian-backed formations in Syria, the V Corps is the one that most readily comes to mind. There are, however, other Russian-backed formations. One example is Liwa al-Areen (‘The Den Brigade’), which was initially affiliated with the military intelligence branch that directs all the Military Security branches.

Russia’s Syria Intervention Has Been A Mixed Blessing For Moscow

Here’s What You Need To Remember: Long-term stability in Syria almost seems quixotic, more likely measured in decades than years. It will take time to assess the extent to which Russia has “won” in Syria. Absent a peaceful end to the conflict and an infusion of large-scale Western aid, downside risks for Russia could take some of the bloom off of its rose in Syria.

Russia’s Arctic Empire

These Russian claims have not yet been adjudicated by international law courts, the United Nations, or by any bilateral or multilateral treaty.

Russia’s blanket claims of territorial sovereignty pose a direct challenge to “Law of the Sea” conventions such as the “Freedom of Navigation” (FON) principle, championed by the U.S. and other Free World navies.