Why did Russia Intervene in the Syrian War?

... consolidated position of the West. For the first time since the invasion to Afghanistan back in 1979, the Kremlin used military force outside the boundaries of the former Soviet Union. For the first time, a Russian military aircraft was grounded by a NATO member country (Turkey). For the first time, Russia became a central player in a large-scale war right in the heart of the Middle East. When Western experts and Kremlin watchers analyze the Russian strategy in Syria, they usually single out three ...