Syrian rebels capture Russian radar that detects Storm Shadow missiles
Syrian rebels have captured a Russian surveillance radar system near the city of Hama in another significant blow for President Bashar al-Assad’s military capabilities.
The Podlet-K1 antenna vehicle was among an array of military hardware reportedly captured at the base of the 25th special forces division, formerly known as the Tiger Forces, an elite loyalist unit regarded as one of Assad’s most effective.
The low-altitude surveillance radar system can track up to 200 targets at a time, particularly those that are low-flying, and is vital both to local air defences and Russia’s domestic protections against Ukraine.
The alleged loss of the Al-Mujanzarat military academy base – which is yet to be confirmed – along with key military equipment could present a major tactical challenge for the regime as jihadi group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and its affiliates continue to push towards Hama, a major city in western Syria.
The loss of the $5 million radar system is also a concern for Russia, with a risk it could fall into Western hands, compromising the country’s air defences in the face of increasing Ukrainian attacks. HTS is backed by Turkey, a Nato member.
The Podlet-K1 radar is crucial for detecting cruise missiles, such as the British-French Storm Shadow and Ukrainian Neptune. Kyiv fired its first Storm Shadow into Russian territory in late November after the UK ended a restriction on their use beyond Ukraine’s borders.
Britain has since supplied Kyiv with dozens more of the long-range missiles, which have a range of more than 150 miles.
While Ukraine says it has destroyed several Podlet-K1 systems, it has never captured one. The radar is of potential interest to Kyiv’s supporters amid fears of dwindling aid from the US under Donald Trump’s presidency.
Over the past week, HTS and its affiliates have captured large parts of Aleppo, the country’s largest city, as well as towns and villages in southern parts of the north-western Idlib province.
On Wednesday, the insurgency claimed it had captured three Syrian troops from the 25th special forces division, and five Iran-backed militants as fierce battles continue.
Videos shared on social media showed the head of HTS, Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, bearded and wearing a green military-style shirt, visiting Aleppo’s ancient citadel while surrounded by apparent supporters.
People jostled to get near him while waving opposition flags and shouting “Allahu akbar”.
Credit: X / @moradabd
Al-Jolani was also pictured waving from the castle’s turrets and from the door of a car, surrounded by onlookers.
Also on Wednesday, Assad issued a decree increasing military salaries by 50 per cent amid reports that morale among his forces is low and that in some places they had fled incoming attacks.
On Tuesday, Syria’s state news agency said a “large” number of reinforcements had arrived in Hama to help repel the rebels.
The regime claimed that the insurgents had retreated around 12 miles from the city, which its troops, backed by Russian airpower, continued to hold.
Syrian warplanes have been pounding rebel-held territory, and one air strike north of Hama killed Anas Al-Kharbatli, a photojournalist.
According to the UK-based Syrian Observatory on Human Rights, the 25th special forces division was attempting to retake control of the Al-Mujanzarat Military Academy.
The rebels, led by HTS, oppose Assad’s autocratic rule, while Damascus views them as terrorists and has vowed to respond with an iron fist.
Abu Mohammad al-Jolani salutes his forces on his tour of Aleppo
Hama has historic significance to opponents to the Assad regime. In 1982, Assad’s father, Hafez al-Assad, then the president, massacred those who took part in an Islamist-led uprising there. Estimates put the death toll at between 10,000 and 30,000.
Tens of thousands of people have been displaced by the fighting so far, according to the UN.
Geir Pedersen, the UN special envoy for Syria, warned in an address to the Security Council that the crisis could deepen, putting the country “in grave danger of further division, deterioration and destruction”.
Turkey has called on Assad to reconcile with the opposition forces it backs and include them in any political solution to end the conflict.
Russia ‘strongly supports’ Assad
Before the offensive, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had been seeking to normalise ties with Assad in order to negotiate the return of millions of Syrian refugees and to address security threats from groups affiliated with Kurdish militants.
However, Assad insisted that Turkey withdraw its military forces from northern Syria, where it has controlled swathes of territory since 2016, first.
Russia has not commented on the reported loss of the Al-Mujanzarat Military Academy or its Podlet-K1, but it did confirm its continued support for Assad.
“We strongly support the efforts of the Syrian authorities to counter terrorist groups and restore constitutional order,” Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for the Russian foreign ministry, said.
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