Intel: What is Russia's next move after Turkish attack on Syrian forces?

Russian military police units were reportedly deployed to the town of Saraqeb in northwestern Syria on March 2. The Syrian army first captured the town Feb. 5, but was forced to retreat from it Feb. 28 after days of continuous attacks by Turkish-backed armed groups. Syria said March 2 that it had recaptured the town.

"Taking into account the importance of safe and unimpeded movement of motor transport and civilian population along the M4-M5 highways, units of the Russian military police were deployed to the city of Saraqeb at 17:00 on March 2, 2020," the Russian Centre for Reconciliation of the Opposing Parties in Syria said March 2. M4 and M5 are two main highways that traverse the country from east to west and north to south respectively. 

Why it matters: In the Feb. 28 phone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the latter said he asked the Russian leader to step aside and let Turkey “do what is necessary” with the Syrian government.

Over the following two days Syrian army positions in the northwestern region came under heavy fire from the Turkish army and allied opposition groups. Turkey killed dozens — Ankara claims over 1,000 — of Syrian troops and damaged a number of facilities. It also attacked a number of positions belonging to Hezbollah and other Shiite militias operating in coordination with Syrian government forces.