US Central Command (Centcom) General Eric Korella said that since the beginning of this month he has seen a “sharp increase” in “provocative” Russian military air traffic in Syria.
Kurella said at a hearing in the Senate Armed Forces Committee that Russian fighters were flying “armed” over US bases in Syria “for the purpose of provocation”, adding that “we did not expect this from a professional air force.”
Kurella explained that the Russian flights are “not new” but that the US military has noticed a “sharp increase” in these movements in Syria since the beginning of this month.
“We are also seeing a recent increase in unprofessional and unsafe behavior by the Russian Air Force in the region,” he added, according to CNN.
The American general thought Russia’s actions were a way to “renegotiate the non-conflict protocols they violate every day,” and stressed that “Syria is still an important country for Russia.”
