Konflikten i Syrien

Some jets arrived at the T4 base as well. Russian advisors visited Deir Ez Zor, no jets there yet. Russian jets don't need shelters. Numbers - First wave of troops: 2.000 combat troops.

Chinese seem to be joining as well (geopolitics, islam problem at home, chinese in Syria)

Two destroyers and a frigate from #China reportedly crossed Suez canal and heading towards #Syria.. #Egypt

There already are early signs that Russia plans to target moderate forces that threaten the Assad regime, not the self-proclaimed Islamic State, which has been the focus of a year-long U.S.-led air campaign.

Over the past year, the U.S. has conducted 5,358 strikes inside Iraq and Syria, targeting ISIS and in support of fighters like the Kurdish YPG, who have also fought the militant group that seeks to establish an Islamic regime in Syria and Iraq.

But for Assad, ISIS is not the only threat. Any so-called “moderate” foe that is seen as an alternative to his regime could be targeted by Russian forces, said Harmer, the military analyst. For that reason, he said, Russian forces would likely strike in Idlib and Aleppo first.

Russia needs “a pliant leader in Syria to maintain some semblance of control, who will still be dependent on Russia,” Harmer said. “Assad is the one puppet that fits all of that. The Syrian regime needs to kill the moderates so there is no alternative to them.”

Syria has confirmed for the first time that it has received advanced fighter and reconnaissance aircraft from Russia, which the Damascus government says have significantly enhanced its ability to target Islamic State fighters.

A Syrian army special forces officer said: “In the past two weeks there has been a noticeable increase in the accuracy and frequency of air force strikes. They actually call us now for more targets to hit. We have been receiving new intelligence, more accurate satellite and aerial imaging of Isis positions which we never got before.”

The officer added: “They [the Russians] might supply the weapons, but we will be the ones fighting on the ground.”

The anti-regime Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that at least 38 Isis fighters had been killed in airstrikes on Monday. “The number of raids is growing and the strikes are more precise after the Syrian air force received arms and more efficient planes from Moscow,” said the observatory’s director Rami Abdel Rahman.

From left to right: 4x Sukhoi Su-30 "Flanker C" air superiority/strike fighters. These are navalized upgraded Su-27 fighters; you can see the canards in front of the wings.
Next is 12x Su-25 "Frogfoot" ground attack planes. Russia's answer to the A-10, it's a very capable ground attack aircraft and will be the mainstay of Russian tactical air support.
Last are 12x Su-24 "Fencer" variable sweep strike aircraft. These are all weather strikers, not as tactical an option as the Frogfoot but capable of striking anywhere in Syria.
The Syrian Air Force has both the Su-24 and Su-25 in its inventory, but theirs are very run down, have taken casualties and aren't piloted by the Russian Air Force. This is an immense amount of destruction on tap, and on an airfield not all that far away from several battle fronts.