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Russia Warns Of 'Reasonable Grounds' To Suspect Turkey Is Preparing For A Ground Invasion Of Syria

Putin Thinks Turkey Is About To Launch A Ground War Into Syria
Paul Vale
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Russia’s ministry of defence warned on Thursday that Turkey is preparing a ground invasion of Syria. According to Reuters, defence spokesman Igor Konashenkov said there are “a growing number of signs of hidden preparation” for a land incursion by Turkish forces into its warn-torn neighbour.

Earlier this week, Moscow requested an observation flight over Turkish land close to the Syrian border but was refused, sparking concerns Ankara is attempting to “hide military activity.”

The flyover, Russia argued, was legitimate under the international Treaty on Open Skies. Turkey’s refusal, without explanation, led Russian officials to suggest there are "reasonable grounds to suspect intensive preparation of Turkey for a military invasion" of Syria.

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Turkish army tanks are stationed at a train station after their arrival from western Turkey, in Gaziantep, Turkey, Friday, Nov. 27, 2015

In response, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu on Thursday accused Moscow, a longtime backer of the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad, of perpetrating war crimes.

"The root cause of this problem is the war crimes committed by the Syrian regime, and the war crimes committed by Daesh, by ISIS," Davutoglu told Reuters at a conference in London.

"Those who are helping the Assad regime are committing the same war crimes,” he added. “I am especially telling this today because Aleppo is under heavy attack by Russian airplanes.”

Moscow’s warning is the latest escalation in tensions between to the two states. A Russian fighter jet was shot down by the Turkish air force in November, a move decried by Russian President Vladimir Putin as a “stab in the back.”

Since late last year, Russian jets have been pounding Islamic State militants as well as anti-Assad forces in an attempt to bring the Syrian civil war to an end in favour of the regime.

According to Moscow, Russian fighters carried out 237 missions in Syria in the past three days, focusing on targets in Aleppo, Latakia, Homs and Hama.

UK Resettlement Scheme Explained
Who Is Eligible?(01 of04)
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The UK asks the UNHCR – the UN’s refugee agency – to determine those who might be eligible for resettlement owing to a series of factors, all of which are based on need.

  • Those who cannot be supported in their region of origin
  • Women and children at risk
  • People in severe need of medical care
  • And survivors of torture and violence against others


These are determined by extensive records kept by the UNHCR using data gathered by the organisation at its refugee camps. For Syrians fleeing civil war, many of these camps are in neighbouring Jordan and Lebanon.

Home Office officials corroborate records and make a final decision as to a candidate’s eligibility.

And while the process has been criticised for being slow, the government is working with the UNHCR to improve its processes and to document potential beneficiaries more quickly. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Where Do They Go?(02 of04)
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Rather than be made to fend for themselves, those arriving under the resettlement scheme are brought into the UK’s well-oiled relocation network – run by local authorities.

Thousands have been resettled via the networks, which have operated for many years (PDF).

A dispersal scheme means that those arriving are distributed evenly across the UK. The 100 or so refugees arriving in the UK on Tuesday are to be housed across Scotland. (credit:Dan Kitwood via Getty Images)
What Do They Do?(03 of04)
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Once they’ve been welcomed and settled, Syrians are given lessons in English and other skills.

School places are secured for children, doctors and medical assessments work on any health conditions. Support is available for those left traumatised by their experiences.

Refugees are eligible for the benefits citizens are able to receive – and they are helped with their housing costs. They are also able to apply for work.

They will receive five years’ humanitarian protection (PDF) – and there is the possibility of a family reunion if it can be proved a union existed prior to a person’s entry on the scheme. (credit:Jeff J Mitchell via Getty Images)
And Who's Paying?(04 of04)
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Questions around the funding of the scheme remain. David Cameron has said it would be funded for the first 12 months by the UK government.

The government has assured local authorities that the costs of supporting those living under the scheme for its duration will be covered.

It has been reported that it will cost around £23,420 a year to house a refugee who isn’t working, and £10,720 to house those who are working.

The Home Office told HuffPost UK that the costs of supporting refugees varied case by case. It said: "The first 12months of a refugee's resettlement costs are carefully funded by central government using the Overseas Development Aid (ODA) budget.

"We are working through the LGA with the local government sector on the level of funding and the process for accessing funds for years 2-5.

"The funding package for the scheme forms part of the Comprehensive Spending Review and further information will be available shortly once when the review is concluded." (credit:Chris McGrath via Getty Images)
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