Alwaght- Being practically engaged in the Syrian battle since the last days of the September 2015, Russia has succeeded in pushing back the ISIS� terrorists, destroying their equipment and ammunition, as well as targeting thousands of ISIS' oil tankers which carry Syria�s smuggled oil to Turkey.

It was under such circumstances that some of the US supporters lost their hope that the war support against the President Bashar al-Assad�s government could continue. In fact Russia considered its responsible reaction as a duty in the world because it could bring forth more stimulation.

In other words, President Vladimir Putin in last September announced to the world in the United Nations General Assembly that Russia could no longer tolerate the world�s present situation and that it would directly enter the Syrian scene and the anti-terror war. In fact, there were two choices for Russia: whether to accept the US� victory or pick the second choice and directly enter the battlefield.

But, despite the fact that there was an agreement reached to avoid mid-air incidents between Russia and NATO�s air forces, the US arranged for Turkey�s to shoot down of the Russian jet. Actually, while Washington denied any responsibility for downing of the Russian warplane, many analysts believe that the US had made a key reaction to Russia because Turkey has not apologized to Russia in order to prove to Europe that Russia is only a paper tiger. In fact, Russia�s light response to the incident was used by the US to ensure the European countries that continuing to put pressure on Moscow in Ukraine, Georgia and Montenegro would not pose any risk.

On the other hand, Moscow makes the NATO members aware of the consequences of confrontation with Russia. For example, it could decide to cut off energy supplies to the countries which would present a de facto challenge against Moscow. On the other hand, the US-led NATO forces would not easily bear the Russian presence in the region and� exploitation of its wins to stage an all-out power show. As George Ubert says, the main intention of the American, British and French fighter jets which are deployed to Syria is a mid-air battle and not hitting the ground targets. To put it another way, the fighter jets were sent not for pounding the ISIS� positions but to threaten the Russian jet.

Actually, Russia a long time ago before directly involving in the Syrian war could easily destroy the ISIS� targets using its military base in Syria�s Tartus port near the Mediterranean coast. However, holding exaggerated military exercises last month in the Caspian Sea, Russia tried to send a strategic message: Earlier the cruise missiles were exclusively in the US� army hands for long-range uses, but Russia by its missile firing attempted to say that in the case of missiles Moscow has outmaneuvered Washington, and the Russian missiles have nearly 7,000 km range.

In fact, Russia�s aim of such media show was not the ISIS terrorists but the US, to send the message that at least in the military dimension Moscow has restored it strong place in the global stage. The present power balance between the US and Russia is multilayered, more complicated and less predictable, an issue noticeable in Syria's conflict. Syria today is similar to countries which were caught in the crossfire of the superpowers during the Cold War period. Syria is like a hostage of a geopolitical game. Should we compare Russia�s actions to those of the US-led coalition which was formed in September 2104, we can find out that at that time the terror groups could keep on making advances, but Russia, on the other side, tries to show off its mighty presence in Syria, and highlight its measures against those of the US.

In fact, by getting involved in the Syrian conflict and boasting about its victories in hitting the terror groups, Russia seeks two objectives: First is fighting the terrorist groups and preventing Syria from falling to such groups, which Russia considers them as presenting dangers to its national security and the second objective is showing off its power compared to the US and highlighting its successes.

Putin has recently said he did not need military base to fight the terrorists in Syria, and that he had weapons capable of destroying their targets thousands of kilometres away. The US in its airstrikes has targeted the Syrian people, infrastructure, the vacant places and the deserts, but Russia in a bright move has carried out precious strikes on the ISIS' positions in Syria.

The result was wonderful because Russia proved to the world that if a country's air force intends, it can obliterate ISIS terrorists. On the other hand the Russian Defence Minister has said that Russia was the only country which put exactly on show the strikes it conductd against the "vandals".

Russia, during a single month, has bombed the ISIS' positions 2,000 times. Moscow made the images and videos� available to the world in order to highlight its actions against the US-led coalition's performance. In fact, the Russian goal behind showing off its measures against those of the US-led coalition in Syria is that Moscow seeks to make its actions stand out against the similar cases. In other words, Putin views Syria as an opportunity in order to renovate the Russian position as a global power using the situation available in Syria.

By Alwaght