ROME: Russia has taken advantage of its military role in Syria to bolster its naval presence in the eastern Mediterranean region, making the region 鈥渧ery crowded,鈥� NATO鈥檚 southern Europe commander said Monday.
US Navy Adm. James Foggo told The Associated Press that Russian President Vladimir Putin had used the desperation of Syrian President Bashar Assad to expand Russian military power beyond Syria鈥檚 borders.
Noting some 鈥渦nsafe or unprofessional鈥� incidents involving Russian aircraft during the Syrian conflict, Foggo said the eastern Mediterranean region was becoming 鈥渃ongested鈥� with Russian vessels.
鈥淚t鈥檚 something that we have to deal with as professional navies,鈥� he said.
Washington and Moscow say a hotline established in 2015 to prevent incidents between their militaries in Syria has worked well, but recent US, British and French missile strikes against Syrian chemical facilities have raised tensions.
The Russians established a naval base in the Syrian Mediterranean port of Tartus under Bashar鈥檚 father, Hafez Assad. Foggo said, however, they鈥檝e recently 鈥渂rought a lot of aircraft and a lot of ships鈥� to it.