Aleppo war: city's rebels brace for expected final assault while US is distracted by election

Source: The Independent

Intelligence sources expect Russian-backed Syrian forces to launch unprecedented assault on opposition-held east Aleppo as regime says it has recaptured neighbourhood in which rebels were struggling to break the siege.

A Russian frigate capable of firing cruise missiles at targets up to 370 miles (600km) away has docked in the Syrian port of Latakia, ahead of what intelligence sources and rebels say is a new attack on Aleppo timed for when the world’s attention is focused on the American national election.

The Admiral Grigorovich joins the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier – Russia’s only one – and the Pyotr Velikiy (Peter the Great) nuclear-powered battle cruiser, both of which arrived at the Russian naval base in the regime stronghold of Latakia on the Mediterranean last week.

Russia’s Black Sea fleet, including the Kuznetsov, seven other war ships and three submarines, began its journey from Murmansk in the biggest Russian military deployment since the Cold War last month. While British officials dismissed the show of strength as “posturing”, the fleet poses a serious threat to rebels fighting the Russian-backed regime in Syria’s bloody civil war.

The Grigorovich uses formidable Kalibr land-attack cruise missiles, which have been deployed a handful of times since Russia began military intervention in Syria in September 2015.

Read more: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/aleppo-war-latest-russia-syria-final-assault-timed-us-election-a7404596.html