Syria's barrel bomb experts in Russia to help with potential Ukraine campaign

[Eugene]

Source: The Guardian

Syria’s barrel bomb experts in Russia to help with potential Ukraine campaign

Over 50 specialists skilled in delivering crude explosive working with Putin’s forces

Martin Chulov Middle East correspondent
Sun 22 May 2022 11.59 BST
Last modified on Sun 22 May 2022 12.00 BST

Technicians linked to the Syrian military’s infamous barrel bombs that have wreaked devastation across much of the country have been deployed to Russia to help potentially prepare for a similar campaign in the Ukraine war, European officials believe.

Intelligence officers say more than 50 specialists, all with vast experience in making and delivering the crude explosive, have been in Russia for several weeks working alongside officials from Vladimir Putin’s military.

Their arrival is understood to be one factor behind US and European warnings that the Russian military may have been preparing for the use of chemical weapons in the conflict, which has entered its fourth month with little sign of slowing.

Barrel bombs – crude explosives packed in to a drum and dropped from a helicopter – were used to devastating effect throughout the Syrian war. The regime was also regularly accused of filling canisters with chlorine and dropping them on opposition held towns and cities, causing hundreds of deaths and sparking widespread alarm.

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Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/may/22/syrias-barrel-bomb-experts-in-russia-to-help-with-potential-ukraine-campaign

[2naSalit]

1. The only surprise...

Is that they haven't used them already.

[mitch96]

2. If they have to be deployed by air, they can be shot down. Switchblade's?

The russians would have to expose their helo's to UKR fire if the use them the same way as in syria... Cheap blows up expensive...
m