Join the Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI) for a discussion on how and why the Russian Ground Forces' experience in Syria has helped transform the organization. Les Grau, Senior Analyst for the Foreign Military Studies Office (FMSO) at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and Charles Bartles, an analyst and Russian linguist at the Foreign Military Studies Office at Fort Leavenworth, will speak with Anna Borshchevskaya of the Washington Institute.

The Syrian Civil War produces a new set of problems involving extended urban combat, intense fights for key resources (oil fields, water and lines of communication and supply), conventional combat among irregular units, ethnic and religious cleansing, a large number of foreign combatants with varying motivations and contending outside powers fighting a proxy engagement. The Russian Federation is not an expeditionary power, and its entry into Syria on the side of the regime has strained its logistical resources. While Russian military support to Syria has proved expensive and difficult to withdraw, Russian Ground Forces have, nevertheless, improved their expertise in many areas. 

Grau, Bartles and Borshchevskaya will discuss exactly how and why their experience in Syria has helped transform the Russian Ground Forces. This includes Russia’s advisory efforts;  artillery support, reconnaissance, integration and training; engineer mobility and countermobility support and training; national and international military police support and hands-on actions; coastal defense forces support from coastal artillery and naval infantry; the controversial employment of private military companies and special operations forces.

Registration is required and can be found at this link.

Speakers:

Les Grau, senior analyst for the Foreign Military Studies Office (FMSO), Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

Charles Bartles, analyst, Russian linguist, Foreign Military Studies Office at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

Anna Borshchevskaya (moderator), Washington Institute