Local Editor
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s intense campaign of airstrikes in Syria had the support of more than two in every three Britons, according to an exclusive Express.co.uk poll.
More than 27,000 people have voted in our Express.co.uk poll with 71 % saying they “support Vladimir Putin’s bombing campaign in Syria”, which is blitzing a large number of “ISIL” owned buildings and vehicles.
The emphatic approval rating comes despite growing tensions between Russia and the US-led coalition, including Britain, over Putin’s actions in the Middle East.
Russia’s defense ministry released a large number of videos of bombing raids on buildings from which “ISIL” operates. Putin said the terror organization is the main target as he fears Takfiris will launch an attack on his country if the group gets any stronger. The fraught situation had seen tensions continue to escalate between Moscow and the coalition.
Yesterday, a bitter row broke out between the British and Russian governments after it was reported RAF Tornados operating over Iraq had been fitted with heat-seeking missiles for aerial combat and had been given permission to fire at Russian jets if attacked.
It has led to the Russian ambassador in London to say he “urgently requested explanations” from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office while Putin was said to be “furious”.
Ambassador Alexander Yakovenko said, “The very premise of a potential conflict of UK and Russian combat aircraft over Iraq is incomprehensible.”
British pilots were given the shock order as UK ministers believe Russia was allegedly making the situation in the Middle East “much more dangerous”.
There are fears an air battle could take place sooner rather than later. A UK senior defense source said, “We need to protect our pilots but at the same time we’re taking a step closer to war.” “It will only take one plane to be shot down in an air-to-air battle and the whole landscape will change” he added.
SAS hero Chris Ryan told Express.co.uk last month a coalition between the West, Putin and al-Assad was the only hope of destroying the terror organization.
He said, “For us to get “ISIS” would need to have a link up with Syria and the targeting of its strongholds; All the areas along the Anbar Province – between Iraq and Syria – that’s where we need to hit.”
“The best idea would be to hit them both sides with Europe and the United States on one side and Russia on the other” he continued.
