In emotional post, Russia's Foreign Ministry spox recalls Russian pilot killed after Turkey shot down jet
Maria Zakharova, Russia's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, has published a post on Facebook in which she emotionally recalls the November 24 downing of a Russian jet in Syria, in which the pilot was killed. (Zakharova talks as if more than one serviceman was killed, though Russia has said that only the pilot died after being shot down by rebels as he parachuted from the downed plane, and that the navigator was rescued.
Zakharova describes the pilot as fighting "for everyone" in Syria -- in line with Moscow's narrative that its air operation in Syria is part of a global war on terror which Russia is leading.
Since the post offers interesting insights into how Russia sees the plane downing and how it sees its role in Syria, I have translated Zakharova's post and posted the original in Russian as well:
3 months ago on November 24, 2015, our men died in the skies over Syria.
They perished terribly because it was terribly unfair.
I clearly remember that day. We were supposed to fly to Turkey. The news came when I was still at work. All the way to Vnukovo-2, I clarified the details -- it was impossible to believe what happened. I remember how at the airport I told colleagues the latest news. No one could believe it. Because it was impossible to believe even by those who have been working for 30-40 years and who have seen it all. Then there were several of endless hours of waiting. Then there was what happened next: Turkey instead of doing the only possible thing to do in this situation and saying words of regret and sympathy, convened a meeting of NATO, the Russian delegation canceled its visit to Turkey.
You know what happened next.
Intellectually, I realize that every day people die or are killed, including those carrying out their duties, hundreds of people. Especially when it comes to the military. But this is a special story. Our guys were there were not only "for us," they were there "for everyone."
Honestly, this story flipped something inside me. As if it is now always with me.
Syrian gov't accepts halt to "combat operations"
Reuters has more on the Syrian government's statement accepting a ceasefire to start at the weekend.
Damascus said it accepted a halt to "combat operations" in line with a U.S.-Russian plan and said it would coordinate with Russia to decide which groups and areas would be included.
The Syrian government said in a statement it stressed the importance of sealing the borders and halting foreign support to armed groups, and "preventing these organizations from strengthening their capabilities or changing their positions, in order to avoid what may lead to wrecking this agreement".
Syria gov't: military ops to continue against IS, Nusra
The Syrian government has said in a statement that it accepts a temporary ceasefire on the basis that military operations will continue against IS and the Al-Nusra Front, initial reports say.
Islamic State attack shuts Syrian gov't supply route for second day
An important Syrian government supply route to Aleppo was shut for a second day on Tuesday because of an Islamic State attack, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
Syrian gov't accepts ceasefire deal: AFP
Russia congratulates its military in Syria on Defender of the Fatherland Day
Russia's Defense Minster Sergei Shoigu has congratulated Russian military personnel in Syria on Defender of the Fatherland Day, an annual holiday observed in Russia and several other former Soviet republics on Feb. 23.
Shoigu's comments reflect Moscow's narrative of linking the Russian air campaign in Syria with Russian national security -- and, of course, with Russian patriotism and prestige. The Defense Minister places Russia as the leading power fighting "international terrorism" on the global stage:
"On this Defender of the Fatherland Day you are far from home, at the forefront of the fight against international terrorism," Shoigu said in a video address to Russian military personnel in Syria.
"By carrying out the orders of the Supreme Commander, you are protecting the national interests of our country, and contributing to the achievement of peace on the Syrian soil," Shoigu added.
This ends our live blogging for February 22. Be sure to check back tomorrow for our our continuing coverage.
U.S.-Russia-brokered truce to start this weekend, our news desk reports:
The United States and Russia have announced plans for a cessation of hostilities in Syria that would go into effect at midnight on February 27.
In a joint statement issued on February 22, the two countries said that parties to the five-year-old conflict would indicate their agreement by midday on February 26, Damascus time.
However, the truce does not include the Islamic State group, the Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Nusra Front, and other terrorist organizations designated by the UN, and air strikes by Syria, Russia, and a U.S.-led coalition against these groups will continue, the statement said.
The agreement sets up a communications hotline, and calls for a working group to monitor cease-fire violations.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed the agreement as a "long-awaited signal of hope," and urged all sides to abide by it.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his U.S. counterpart, Barack Obama, discussed the plan by telephone.
In a statement broadcast on television, Putin called the accord a "real step that can stop the bloodshed" in Syria.
Russia will do "whatever is necessary" to ensure that Damascus respects the cease-fire agreement, Putin said. "We are counting on the United States to do the same with its allies and the groups that it supports."
"The main thing is that conditions have been created for launching a genuine political process through the wide inter-Syrian dialogue in Geneva overseen by the UN," the Russian president also said.
He added that the U.S.-Russia agreements "can be an example of responsible actions, based on the norms of international law and the principles of the UN, against the threat of terrorism."
Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow "highly appreciates" the level of interaction of the Russian and U.S. experts in the negotiations of the cease-fire plan.
Russia -- Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's strongest ally -- and the United States back opposing sides in the Syria war.
The White House said that although it will be difficult to implement, the move presents a "moment of opportunity" and the United States will try to capitalize on it.
"If implemented and adhered to, this cessation will not only lead to a decline in violence, but also continue to expand the delivery of urgently needed humanitarian supplies to besieged areas," U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said in a statement.
Turkey also welcomed the cease-fire plan, with Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus expressing hope that Russia "won't fly its jets and kill innocent people" while the combatants negotiate over an end to the conflict.
British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said the truce will only work if there is a "major change of behavior" by the Damascus regime and its backers.
"Russia, in particular, must honor this agreement by ending its attacks on Syrian civilians and moderate opposition groups," Hammond said.
On February 12, major powers agreed to work toward a "cessation of hostilities" in Syria within a week, but the deadline passed.
Violence has continued in Syria, with more than 140 people killed in bombings in Damascus and Homs on February 21.
More than 250,000 Syrians have been killed in the conflict, which started in March 2011. About 11 million others have been forced from their homes, including 4 million who have fled abroad. (w/ AFP, AP, Reuters, TASS, Interfax)
UN: Major powers feeding 'military escalation' in Syria
U.N. investigators have warned in a new report of a growing risk of "internationalization" of the conflict in Syria, AP reports.
The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria says in a new report Monday that the conflict, which soon enters its sixth year, has become "a multi-sided proxy war steered from abroad by an intricate network of alliances."
In a swipe at the United States, Russia and their allies, the investigators say the international powers and regional countries ostensibly pushing for peace are the same nations that "continue to feed the military escalation."
The report also says war crimes are "rampant" and both government forces and the Islamic State extremist group continue to commit crimes against humanity.
Syria opposition says provisional agreement reached on temporary truce: report
Reuters has more on the reports that Syrian opposition coordinator Riad Hijab has said that there has been a provisional agreement on a temporary truce in Syria.
Hijab's comments were reported by the pro-Syrian opposition Orient TV.
Hijab, a former Syrian prime minister who chairs the Saudi-backed opposition High Negotiations Committee , said the agreement would be "according to international guarantees".
The committee was meeting in Saudi Arabia on Monday to discuss a U.S.-Russian plan to bring about a "cessation of hostilities"