Russia’s deployment to Syria — its largest outside the former Soviet Union in two decades — has includedadvanced fighter jets, antiaircraft missile systems, tanks, and armored-personnel carriers.

But much of the Russian weaponry has been positioned — officially anyway — at the Latakia air base in western Syria.

Russia first launched air strikes to support President Bashar al-Assad in Syria’s four-year civil war on September 30, but has repeatedly stated it has no intention of launching a ground offensive. MORE