{"id":56262,"date":"2018-05-07T19:59:00","date_gmt":"2018-05-07T19:59:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/05\/07\/russia-uses-syrian-war-to-boost-mediterranean-presence-us-navy-admiral-says\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T10:33:50","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T10:33:50","slug":"russia-uses-syrian-war-to-boost-mediterranean-presence-us-navy-admiral-says","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/flashpoints\/2018\/05\/07\/russia-uses-syrian-war-to-boost-mediterranean-presence-us-navy-admiral-says\/","title":{"rendered":"Russia uses Syrian war to boost Mediterranean presence, US Navy admiral says"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

ROME \u2014 Russia has taken advantage of its military role in Syria to bolster its naval presence in the eastern Mediterranean region, making the region \u201cvery crowded<\/a>,\u201d NATO\u2019s southern Europe commander said Monday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

U.S. Navy Adm. James Foggo told The Associated Press that Russian President Vladimir Putin had used the desperation of Syrian President Bashar Assad to expand Russian military power beyond Syria\u2019s borders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Noting some \u201cunsafe or unprofessional\u201d incidents<\/a> involving Russian aircraft during the Syrian conflict, Foggo said the eastern Mediterranean region was becoming \u201ccongested\u201d with Russian vessels.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s something that we have to deal with as professional navies,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Vladimir Putin looks on during his inauguration ceremony for a new term as Russia’s president in the Grand Kremlin Palace in Moscow, Russia, on Monday, May 7, 2018. (Mikhail Metzel\/Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Washington and Moscow say a hotline established in 2015 to prevent incidents between their militaries in Syria has worked well, but recent U.S., British and French missile strikes against Syrian chemical facilities have raised tensions.<\/p>\n\n\n\t