Reports in recent days have led some to believe that Russia is ramping up its military presence in Syria. The Kremlin has admitted to sending weapons and advisers to assist its Syrian ally, President Bashar al Assad.
Moscow insists it has no plans for a military buildup, But the possibility has U.S. officials concerned. In a statement this week, Secretary of State John Kerry complained that the Russian military presence “could further escalate the conflict, lead to greater loss of innocent lives, increase refugee flows and risk confrontation” with an anti-ISIS coalition operating in Syrian borders.
More on this with Jeremi Suri, Distinguished Professor at the University of Texas at Austin’s LBJ School.