actually very open ;)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ML_IjppR_SU

The Russian military in Syria is in "constant contact" with the Syrian opposition forces that are fighting Islamic State, Russia's Ministry of Defense says. The opposition is providing the Russian Air Force with coordinates to strike at terrorists.

Syrian Opposition Provides Russian Air Force with Coordinates to Target Terrorists

US Air Force Begins Withdrawing F-15 Fighter Jets From Turkey

Twelve U.S. Air Force F-15 fighters sent to Incirlik airbase only last month to guard Turkish airspace and hit ISIS targets in Syria were suddenly flown back Wednesday to their home base in Britain, U.S. European Command announced........

The F-15s that flew out of Incirlik Wednesday had replaced six F-16s from the 31st Fighter Wing at the Aviano Air Base in Italy, which arrived at Incirlik on Aug. 9 following Turkey's agreement to allow the U.S. to conduct strikes against ISIS from Incirlik, about 70 miles from the Syrian border.

Six F-15Cs landed at Incirlik on Nov. 6 in a pointed signal to Moscow that the U.S. was prepared to assist Turkey in guarding its airspace against Russian incursions. The six F-15E Strike Eagles arrived a week later to much fanfare from the U.S. military about how their presence would allow for more loiter time over ISIS targets in Syria.

The redeployment of the F-15s to their home base with the 48th Fighter Wing at Royal Air Force base Lakenheath in Britain will leave Incirlik with 12 A-10 Thunderbolt attack aircraft and an array of armed drones........

Now that SHOULD send a clear message to Ankara...

That the US is now well aware that the Turks are willing and able to look after their own airspace without having their hand held?

:)

Russian and the US are quite cosy at the moment...

US doesn't want its planes there if something nasty happens around, smart decision if you ask me.

The A-10's and some drones are still there, if what was reported is credible. As to "something nasty" we actually have a decent working relationship with the Turks, what with all of those decades together in NATO.

Among the first questions, the president was asked about future Russian-Turkish relations that were seriously strained after the incident with Russian bomber Su-24 shot down at Syrian border. Putin called that “a hostile act” and assumed it might be an attempt to curry favor with the US.

“Lick Americans in a Certain Place” and Other Putin’s Quotes

AS 400 Range
 

It was reported over the weekend that a Hezbollah leader Samir Kantar and others were killed by an Israeli air strike on the building in Damascus.

It surprises me that with all the hype over the AS400 system that the Russians have installed and the previously well functioning Syrian air defence systems that if it was an Israeli air strike that there was no functioning air defence.

Can anyone shed any light?

One would also suspect that Damascus would have some sort of integrated Air Defence. That said, I imagine it would be difficult to integrate the Russian Air Defence into the Syrian IADS.

Lack of condemnation from Russia tells me Putin has a deal with Netanyahu so Israel is still allowed to destroy some Hezbollah targets.

I'll toss a few dollars onto the over for that bet.

The Russian Air Force has helped the Syrian Democratic Forces liberate 20 residential areas from Islamic State (IS, previously ISIS/ISIL) around the city of Raqqa, the extremist groups’ stronghold, a Russian military spokesman said.

Syrian Rebels Free 20 areas From ISIS with Help of Russian Strikes