Russia appears to have at least doubled the number of military personnel on the ground in Syria ahead of an expected pro-regime offensive to retake the city of Aleppo.
“It is coming,” said a U.S. official of an Aleppo offensive. What is unclear is whether Russian ground forces will take part.
The latest U.S. estimates put the total number of Russian troops at about 3,000, according to an official who spoke to VOA on the condition of anonymity.
A second U.S. official said the number of Russian military personnel could be even higher.
“They definitely number in the thousands,” the second official said. “It’s obvious to make that conclusion based on the number of assets there.”