French edition of Atlantico. fr spoke with Alain Rodier, a retired high-ranking officer of the French intelligence service and deputy director of the French Center for Intelligence Research (CF2R), asking him about what motivated the Russian operation in Syria.

"To what extent could the theater of military operations of the Syrian operation be a training camp for testing and" advancing "Russian military potential, both from the point of view of technology and people?" -.

"Even if Moscow's geostrategic goal in Syria was different, it's quite true that the theater of operations in Syria is a giant camp for training, for testing equipment and tactics and for gaining experience by servicemen," the expert believes..

As for Russian servicemen, the term of service in Syria is three months, Rodier said.. "Of course, this is not intended to gain maximum operational efficiency on the ground, since officers begin to feel ready only at the end of this period," added the retired scout. "But this allows the maximum number of personnel to receive exceptional combat experience, and the leadership to assess their competence".

"As for the technology, when the Russian Navy uses cruise missiles launched from the Mediterranean or the Caspian Sea to destroy several SUVs on the edge of the Syrian desert, the goal is not tactical efficiency (which makes the destroyed target costly), but the opportunity to test these modern weapons," - believes Rodeaux. According to the expert, "besides the tests, it also allows Moscow to show other countries, especially those that are members of NATO, that Russia has a grand military potential".

"While the post-Soviet Russia was pointing at its conventional potential, is modernization effective today?" - asked the ex-scout edition.

"Modernization of the Russian army has not been achieved, especially due to lack of funds - I recall that in 2018, Moscow allocates $ 70 billion for its defense, while the US allocates 10 times more," said Rode. "However, gradually the theater of military operations in Syria allows it to strengthen its military potential by changing its tactics and improving its equipment, which receives the mark" tested in battle ". This is also an important factor to increase the export of Russian weapons to countries that are striving for a good balance of quality and price ".

"Is it necessary to see in this aspect of Russian intervention its main cause? What other priority goal could lead to such a decision?" -.

"No power starts a military operation to create a training camp for the fun of its military," the expert replied.. - Of course, there is always a political reason ". According to Rodier, Moscow's goal in Syria is "to create there a stronghold there for the next fifty years in the eastern Mediterranean".

"Thus, Russia fulfills its long-standing dream of access to" warm seas ", - explained the retired scout. "It is for this purpose that the port of Tartus needs to be modernized, so that large-capacity vessels that are currently forced to anchor on the high seas can be moored," and the air base in Khmeimim should be strengthened ". In conclusion, the expert added that in the future Moscow hopes to complete its implementation, agreeing on favorable conditions in Egypt and in Libya.