Hell Cannon, Spoils of Syria’s War Displayed in Russian Military Exhibit

Russian Defense Minister listening to an explanation of the "cannon of hell" used by opponents in Aleppo (Ministry of Defense of Russia)
Russian Defense Minister listening to an explanation of the "cannon of hell" used by opponents in Aleppo (Ministry of Defense of Russia)
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Hell Cannon, Spoils of Syria’s War Displayed in Russian Military Exhibit

Russian Defense Minister listening to an explanation of the "cannon of hell" used by opponents in Aleppo (Ministry of Defense of Russia)
Russian Defense Minister listening to an explanation of the "cannon of hell" used by opponents in Aleppo (Ministry of Defense of Russia)

The military display of spoils of war collected from Syrian armed factions at the military exhibit triggered Russia’s Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu’s interest.

Made from local scraps and modest means, the ‘Hell Canon’ was a piece that caught the eye of Russia’s Shoygu.
Syrian rebels in Aleppo had used the unique arm in their fight against regime forces and extremist groups.

Shoygu has visited the Army-2017 military-technical forum near Moscow to examine factory-made and makeshift weapons seized from terrorists in Syria.

Improvised artillery in the Syrian Civil War are improvised firearms created and used by factions of the Syrian Civil War, most notably Syrian opposition forces. The weapons include the Hell Cannon and its variants, the Thunder Cannon and the Mortar Cannon.

Shoygu said in a Sunday statement that reaching agreements for the "de-escalation zones" and the distinguishing of rebel factions from and extremist groups, such as "Fatah al-Sham" (Al- Qaeda’s ex-affiliate previously known as Al-Nusra Front), indicates the closing in of the end of the "civil war" ravaging Syria.

The official Facebook page of the Hmeimim Air Base in Lattakia, a Syrian base operated by Russian forces, posted pictures of Shoygu during his visit to the weapon display.

Among Russian exhibits there are the multi-functional robot Uran-6, used for humanitarian mine-clearing operations, such as the one conducted in Palmyra and other Syrian cities, wheeled armored vehicle Taifun-K meant for carrying and protecting personnel, drone Forpost and diving gear for anti-sabotage coast guard units.

Shoygu closely examined the exposition featuring seized weapons, in particular, makeshift mortars and devices for fiving gas cylinders and improvised rockets.

The show will be open to the general public on August 25-27.

The static exhibition features weapons and special technologies of the Aerospace Force, engineering troops, the Navy and military police.

An exhibition of photographs covers all stages of the operation of the Russian military group in Syria and its daily routine.



Russia Says US Using Taiwan to Stir Crisis in Asia

Participants wave Taiwanese flags during the Kuomintang (KMT) National Congress in Taoyuan on November 24, 2024. (Photo by Yu Chien Huang / AFP)
Participants wave Taiwanese flags during the Kuomintang (KMT) National Congress in Taoyuan on November 24, 2024. (Photo by Yu Chien Huang / AFP)
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Russia Says US Using Taiwan to Stir Crisis in Asia

Participants wave Taiwanese flags during the Kuomintang (KMT) National Congress in Taoyuan on November 24, 2024. (Photo by Yu Chien Huang / AFP)
Participants wave Taiwanese flags during the Kuomintang (KMT) National Congress in Taoyuan on November 24, 2024. (Photo by Yu Chien Huang / AFP)

The United States is using Taiwan to provoke a serious crisis in Asia, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko told TASS news agency in remarks published on Sunday, reiterating Moscow's backing of China's stance on Taiwan.
"We see that Washington, in violation of the 'one China' principle that it recognises, is strengthening military-political contacts with Taipei under the slogan of maintaining the 'status quo', and increasing arms supplies," Rudenko told the state news agency.
"The goal of such obvious US interference in the region's affairs is to provoke the PRC (People's Republic of China) and generate a crisis in Asia to suit its own selfish interests."
The report did not cite any specific contacts that Rudenko was referring to.
China views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, a claim that Taiwan's government rejects. The US is Taiwan's most important international backer and arms supplier, despite the lack of formal diplomatic recognition.
The US State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Rudenko's remarks outside office hours.
In September, President Joe Biden approved $567 million in military support for Taiwan. Russia responded that it was standing alongside China on Asian issues, including criticism of the US drive to extend its influence and "deliberate attempts" to inflame the situation around Taiwan.
China and Russia declared a "no limits" partnership in February 2022 when President Vladimir Putin visited Beijing shortly before launching a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, triggering the deadliest land war in Europe since World War Two.
In May this year, Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged a "new era" of partnership between the two most powerful rivals of the United States, which they cast as an aggressive Cold War hegemon sowing chaos across the world.