Russian military operation in Syria includes ground troops, says NATO chief

NATO’s secretary general Jens Stoltenberg has said a “substantial” build-up of Russian forces in Syria includes ground troops. Although Vladimir Putin stated he would not put troops in Syria, Russian military chiefs have raised the prospect of “volunteer” soldiers joining the fighting. If employed, the tactic would have echoes of the crisis in Ukraine, where Russian troops apparently helped rebels while Moscow denied its soldiers were involved in the conflict. Mr Stoltenberg also said he doubted Russia’s claim that violations of Turkey’s airspace were a mistake, because there were two incursions and they lasted longer than a few seconds.

It doesn’t look like an accident, and we’ve seen two of them over the weekend.

NATO’s secretary general Jens Stoltenberg disputes claims that Russia’s violation of Turkish airspace was accidental.

The Russian government is reportedly looking into the second alleged violation of Turkish airspace, after the Kremlin’s ambassador was once again summoned in Ankara for an explanation. Moscow has said the Syrian airbase from which Russian planes were flying missions, Khmeimim, was about 19 miles (30km) from the Turkish border and that its aircraft had no choice but to approach it from the north in certain weather conditions. Russian media quoted a senior politician as saying Moscow would consider extending airstrikes against militants in Iraq if a request came from Baghdad. Valentina Matviyenko, head of Russia’s upper chamber of parliament, said Russia had not received such a request from the Iraqi government.

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