Our first destination was the airbase itself, secretly renovated by the Russian military before Russian warplanes suddenly appeared in Syria in September. A billboard in an airport terminal in Latakia, Syria praises Vladimir Putin of Russia and Bashar al-Assad of Syria as 'great leaders.' With no point of reference besides our Russian hosts, all we can do is remember that whatever we are seeing is what the Russian military wants us to see. Russian servicemen watch a television news program at an "information point" at Hmeimim Airbase in Latakia, Syria. Russian servicemen stand in formation as journalists arrive at Russia's Hmeimim Airbase in Latakia, Syria.

Source: Washington Post May 09, 2016 01:26 UTC