Russians back Putin's Syria campaign

A Russian bomber, right, is parked at Hemeimeem air base in Syria

For most Russians, there's little not to like about their country's military operation in Syria.
The airstrikes have demonstrated Russia's might, turned the course of the war and made sure that Russia is once again treated as a world power on a par with the United States. And all at little cost.
When Russia began its air campaign on September 30, there were fears that it would turn into a repeat of the disastrous Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in late 1979, which ended nine years later with thousands dead and a humiliating withdrawal.
Those fears have been dispelled as President Vladimir Putin has kept his word that there will be no ground action.
Denis Kuzichov, a 36-year-old artist in Moscow, said he supports Russia's involvement in Syria as long as it is limited to airstrikes.
Most Russians judge the situation in Syria based on what they see on state television, said Nataliya Zorkaya, who heads the social and political survey department at the Levada Centre, an independent polling agency.
The reports have noted the terrorist threat posed to Russia by the Daesh, which has won the allegiance of militants operating in Russia and recruited thousands of Russian citizens to join the battle in Syria. The news broadcasts also have featured interviews with displaced Syrians who have been able to return home after Russian airstrikes helped the Syrian government army to liberate their town.
Foreign reports about Russian bombs destroying hospitals or killing civilians have been denied by the Kremlin and spurned as Western attempts to smear Russia.
"The West has blamed us for something or other since ancient times," said Yulia Zhalbe, a 28-year-old Muscovite. "But if you notice, Russia has never been the first to strike. We just protect our own."
Russia has lost three men in Syria, including a pilot killed when his warplane was shot down by a Turkish jet in November and a marine who died on a mission to rescue the pilot's crewmate.
Blame for the two deaths was put on Turkey, and Putin struck back hard by imposing an array of economic sanctions and deploying more weapons to Syria.
In announcing the agreement in a televised address after speaking with United States President Barack Obama, Putin portrayed the ceasefire as the achievement of Russia and the US working together as partners.
The deal has allowed Putin to cast Russia as indispensable to a settlement of the nearly five-year-old conflict and a world power equal to the United States.
Nearly 60 per cent of Russians support the Russian airstrikes in Syria, according to a Levada Centre poll. Of the remainder, about 25 per cent said they did not support them and 15 per cent said they had trouble answering. The poll, conducted January 22-25, had a margin of error of 3.4 percentage points.

• MENA