Air Strikes by VKS & SyAAF, 20 June 2017

The Russians opened the day by several take-offs ‘shortly’ after midnight: one at 00.10, another at 00.15, and one at 00.58 — all of which…

The Russians opened the day by several take-offs ‘shortly’ after midnight: one at 00.10, another at 00.15, and one at 00.58 — all of which went in south-eastern direction, and passed high above Houla. Then a VKS helicopter launched from Tiyas at 01.33, another fighter-bomber from Hmemmem around 02.15, and another helicopter from Tiyas at 02.40 (the latter flew away in southern direction).

At 02.50, Almazza launched two helicopters in direction of Dera’a, and at 03.04–03.08, three Russian aircraft passed high above Houla. Two additional helicopters approached the Dera’a area around 03.10. Tiyas then launched three (Russian) helicopters too, between 03.19 and 03.25.

SyAAF fighter-bombers went into action at 08.37, when Kweres launched one Su-22 in southern direction. Tiyas followed with two Su-22s (at 08.56 and 08.57) — both of which flew away in north-eastern direction. Another Su-22 took-off from Kweres at 09.07, and then a Russian helicopter launched from Tiyas at 09.26, and one more from Sanobar at 09.44. Two Su-24s then took-off from Tiyas — one at 09.47, another at 09.53 — one VKS fighter-bomber from Hmemmem at 09.56 (this should’ve been the Su-34 that bombed Jobar), a Su-24 from as-Sien at 10.10. Two Russian fighter-bombers passed over Houla at 10.10 and 10.12. Tiyas then dispatched another Su-22 at 10.39, and Almazza one helicopter at 10.40.

Another helicopter launched from Almazza at 11.29, and one Russian helicopter from Tiyas at 11.43 (this was apparently involved in this action over the Salamiyah area), while at 11.57, two Russian fighter-bombers scrambled from Hmemmem AB.

The Dera’a area then received multiple air strikes: one by a MiG-23 that took off from an-Nassiriyah at 12.34, another by a helicopter that took off from Almazza at 12.37, then by a Su-22 that launched from Dmeyr at 13.03, by a helicopter that launched from Almazza at 13.23, another that took off from Marj Ruhayyil, at 13.27, then a MiG-23 from an-Nassiriyah at 13.38, and a Su-24 that took off from as-Sien at 13.53.

Meanwhile, Shayrat launched one Su-22 in northern direction at 13.17, Hmemmem launched one VKS fighter-bomber at 13.24, another at 13.28, and one at 13.32. Shayrat launched its third Su-22 sortie of the day at 14.10, and Almazza dispatched two helicopters towards Dera’a at 14.44. Shayrat launched its third Su-22 at 14.45, and Tiyas followed by a Su-24 at 15.19.

One of Su-22s in question bombed Jobar.

The rest of the afternoon was quiet. Nothing happened until Hmemmem launched a single sortie around 18.17hrs.

Evening activity began with take-offs of one Su-24 from Kweres (that’s news!) and another Su-24 from Tiyas, at 20.14. The Russians launched one fighter-bomber from Hmemmem AB at 20.58. Final sortie of the day was flown by L-39 that took off from Kweres at 22.49, and went away in southern direction.

Overall: the most intensive day of flying by Assadists and the Russians since mid-May this year.

Totals

VKS

fighter-bombers: 21

helicopters: 12

UAVs: 4

recce: 0

SyAAF

L-39s: 1

helicopters: 14

MiG-21s: 0

MiG-23s: 3

Su-22s: 8

Su-24s: 7