Progozhin is believed to control the Russian mercenaries who attacked U.S. troops and their allies in Syria. In recent years, U.S. and Russian military officers have maintained near-daily telephone contact to ensure their aircraft and forces don’t run into each other. The Pentagon said coalition forces conducted strikes in response to "an unprovoked Syrian pro-regime forces attack" in Syria on Feb. 7 and Feb. 8. where they are undergoing medical treatment at a number of hospitals.”“Russian service members did not take part in any capacity and Russian military equipment was not used,” the statement said. “More importantly,” he said, “it allows Russian forces to take on the U.S.-backed SDF in a way that regular Russian forces wouldn’t dare do for fear of escalation.”Prigozhin has made himself indispensable to the Kremlin, said Andrew S. Weiss, a Eurasia expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Source: Washington Post February 23, 2018 00:11 UTC