It’s been one month since Russia invaded Ukraine. What Vladimir Putin and far of the world initially anticipated to be a fast and straightforward victory over their smaller neighbor has quickly devolved right into a army catastrophe for Russia. The Pentagon estimated greater than 7,000 Russian troopers had been killed for the reason that invasion began, whereas NATO believes the quantity might be as excessive as 15,000. Russian generals proceed to die, and studies are describing mass desertions and fratricide on the entrance traces. As a lot of the world celebrates the fashionable David versus Goliath story, cracks within the veneer of Russia’s supposed army might need shone via lengthy earlier than the invasion of Ukraine, and a four-hour battle that unfolded in Syria in 2018 is among the most placing examples.
When the US launched Operation Inherent Resolve in June 2014, its aim was to destroy the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria, or ISIS. US forces and their allies sought to degrade and destroy the infamous terrorist group, however the battle finally developed right into a proxy battle between two superpowers as Russia dedicated its army forces to defending the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The US was allied with Kurdish fighters and the Syrian Democratic Forces in opposition to the widespread enemy of ISIS, however the regional battle concerned an intricate net of disparate factions and aims.
In opposition to that backdrop, Russia and the US opened up a communications hotline to keep away from direct battle with one another whereas supporting their proxies on reverse sides. In February 2018, after three years of gingerly avoiding a direct confrontation, the 2 world powers went toe to toe for the primary time for the reason that finish of World Warfare I in what got here to be often called the Battle of Khasham — a roughly four-hour battle wherein the mighty Russian bear (with its Syrian allies) was decreased to a whimpering pup by a a lot smaller power of American commandos.
Because the afternoon solar started to sink over the cradle of civilization on Feb. 7, 2018, a gaggle of US Marines and Army Special Forces troopers watched surveillance drone feeds in disbelief as a big enemy power amassed 20 miles away close to the japanese financial institution of the Euphrates River. The mixed group of Syrian forces and Russian mercenaries from the notorious Kremlin-linked Wagner Group swelled to an estimated 500 troops by early night. With them have been 27 automobiles — together with Russian T-72 tanks and armored personnel carriers.
American brass monitoring the state of affairs on the air operations middle at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar and the Pentagon have been baffled as they watched an enormous enemy power positioning itself to assault a close-by outpost the place about 30 US Army Rangers and Delta Pressure commandos from the Joint Particular Operations Command (JSOC) have been working alongside Kurdish and Arab forces. American commanders readied plane and floor crews, and the members of the JSOC detachment ready to defend themselves.
The Marines and Inexperienced Berets on the mission help web site 20 miles away from the JSOC outpost in Deir al-Zour in northwestern Syria ready a quick-reaction power of about 16 troops, loading 4 mine-resistant automobiles with anti-tank missiles, thermal optics, meals, and water.
At 8:30 p.m., as three Russian tanks moved in nearer, it turned clear an assault was imminent, and the quick-reaction power ready to launch.
At roughly 10:30 p.m., the approaching column of Russian and Syrian automobiles opened fireplace on the tiny outpost. Tank, artillery, and mortar fireplace bombarded the Individuals as they ran for his or her defensive positions and returned fireplace with machine weapons and anti-tank missiles.
Through the opening minutes of the battle, then-Secretary of Protection Jim Mattis contacted his Russian counterpart.
“The Russian excessive command in Syria assured us it was not their folks,” Mattis testified to Congress later. The secretary of protection then directed Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Workers Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr. “for the power … to be annihilated.”
“And it was,” the previous Marine common, whose troops nicknamed him “Chaos,” added.
With the professional route of Air Pressure fight controllers and others calling in air and indirect-fire help, waves of F-22 fighters, F-15E strike fighters, AH-64 Apache assault helicopters, AC-130 gunships, B-52 bombers, MQ-9 Reaper drones, and heavy Marine artillery relentlessly punished the enemy power.
The fast-reaction power sped towards the battle however was slowed by myriad obstacles, broken roads, and the very fact it was driving blacked out and counting on night-vision gear. Because the convoy of 4 automobiles made gradual progress, American airpower and Marine artillery minimize via the Syrian and Russian attackers like a scythe via hay.
“We must always by no means have been there; our management tousled. The Individuals knew precisely the place we have been,” former Russian mercenary and survivor of Khasham Marat Gabidullin informed The Guardian in February 2022.
Round 1 a.m. — with the enemy artillery and tanks lastly silenced — the QRF reached the outpost and joined the turkey shoot.
Preventing from their automobiles, the Inexperienced Berets and Marines engaged the quickly diminishing enemy power. A number of Marines ran much-needed ammo to the commandos’ defensive positions whereas fight controllers guided a second wave of deadly strikes from American plane. An hour after the QRF’s arrival, the remnants of the attacking power fled the sector. Of their wake lay between 200 and 300 lifeless fighters. Contained in the JSOC outpost, one allied Syrian fighter was wounded, and no Individuals have been harmed.
Within the aftermath of the slaughter, Russian state media downplayed the battle. Maria Zakharova, press secretary for the International Ministry of Russia, stated solely 5 Russian contractors have been killed. Reviews of audio recordings purportedly that includes Russians describing the battle inform a a lot completely different story.
“To make it brief, we’ve had our fucking asses kicked,” one Wagner Group veteran reportedly says in a recording. “Yeah so, one squadron fucking misplaced 200 folks instantly … One other one misplaced 10 folks, and I don’t know concerning the third squadron, but it surely acquired torn up fairly badly too … They tore us to items.”
The lopsided American victory labored as a deterrent a month later when one other group of Syrian fighters and Russian mercenaries started an identical buildup close to American forces alongside the Euphrates. This time, when Mattis known as his Russian counterpart, the enemy power dispersed, efficiently avoiding a second curb-stomping.
The Wagner Group is educated at Russian Protection Ministry bases, and the group’s leaders have obtained awards within the Kremlin, however Russia downplayed its involvement within the engagement that’s come to be often called the Battle of Khasham. Russia claimed the conflict was a results of American aggression.
Comparable Russian misinformation is rampant within the battle in Ukraine, and like within the Battle of Khasham, Russia’s numerical superiority isn’t translating to tactical success. In hindsight, maybe Russia’s humiliating defeat in Syria was an indication of what was to return in Ukraine, the place many analysts predicted Russia would “steamroll” that nation’s army and protection forces.
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