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Chapter 2507 Moscow's Tough Stance (First Update, Please Subscribe)
Moscow!
Unlike the Western countries that widely reported on the miraculous air battle that took place in the Bekaa Valley, no newspapers or television stations in Moscow reported on the air battle. Of course, this did not mean that they were indifferent to the war—all newspapers and television stations were reporting on the coalition's invasion of Syria.

The outcome of the war is not important; what matters is that the Soviets must know: the Syrian people are fiercely resisting the invasion from Western imperialists.

Of course, this is only at the grassroots level; at the official level, the outcome becomes extremely important.

After all, the outcome of any war reveals a great deal of information, and this information may very well be related to the life and death of a nation.

In the Ministry of National Defense's conference room, the air was so thick it seemed you could wring water out of it. At either end of the heavy oak table, several marshals wearing gold star epaulettes sat silently, the cigarettes between their fingers burned to the end, the ashes falling softly onto the gleaming tabletop, but no one paid them any attention.

In front of each person was a stack of black and white photographs. The images showed not only the destroyed radar station, anti-aircraft missiles, and the wreckage of the downed plane, but also the destroyed underground air defense command center.

"Watch it again."

Marshal Ustinov, seated in the main seat, raised his hand to signal that the projector should light up again, projecting the horrific scene of the Syrian air defense positions onto the wall. In the photos, the once-renowned "impregnable" SAM missile launchers lay askew, the ground riddled with craters, and the air defense network that the Syrians had built at a cost of billions of rubles had been completely destroyed in the bombing.

"The General Intelligence Directorate's conclusion is that the SEA deployed stealth fighters." The intelligence representative broke the silence, his voice tinged with difficulty:
"This type of fighter jet broke through Syria's air defense network and precisely destroyed the command center, which led to a one-sided victory in the subsequent air battle."

"absurd!"

Deputy Minister Marshal Kozverev slammed his fist on the table. He was so agitated because he was in charge of military industrial production, and in his view, this was simply a joke.

"With current technology, it's simply impossible to build a true stealth fighter! The principle of radar wave reflection dictates that any metal aircraft cannot completely evade detection. At most, they can improve their electronic jamming equipment or employ more flexible tactics!"

This was a judgment based on common sense, and he had specifically consulted experts in the aviation field before the meeting.

All the experts told him that with the current level of human technology, although it is possible to reduce the radar cross-section of an aircraft.

But it is absolutely impossible to create a stealth fighter!

That's absolutely impossible!
"Tactics?"

The general who refuted him said:

"Syria has deployed several SAM missile battalions and a layered radar network. Even with strong electronic jamming, it is impossible for the command center and radar station to be destroyed without any reaction."

"You know, their command center was designed with our help; it was underground and could withstand any bombing. Yet, it was destroyed after a cruise missile attack, before any air combat even began, and prior to that, it was completely undetectable by radar—it was destroyed without any warning. What is this if not stealth technology?"

Both sides stuck to their own versions of events, and the argument echoed in the conference room. Marshal Ustinov listened quietly, his fingers lightly tapping the table, his gaze sweeping across the faces of each attendee. Only when the argument gradually subsided did he speak slowly, his voice deep yet penetrating:

"Comrades, the focus of our debate is not just whether or not there are stealth fighters."

He paused, his gaze falling on the Middle East map on the wall, and said:
"We all know that if such a weapon really exists, the form of warfare will be completely changed, and the air defense system that we have spent decades building may become scrap metal overnight."

Of course, this is only one possibility, and we don't know if it even exists, but we need to take it seriously because our country cannot afford such a risk.

But now, there are more pressing issues at hand.

His finger pointed to Syria on the map:
"The SEA's offensive in Syria is no longer a simple regional conflict. Their victory is a slap in the face to the Soviet Union and an attempt to shake our foundations in the Middle East! If we stand idly by and allow the SEA to push its luck, what will happen next?"

Ustinov's voice suddenly rose:

"This victory, or rather, the demise of Syria... will show all our allies that there is no future in following the Soviet Union; the West is the true hegemon. They will all kneel before the West, and we will lose all our foothold in the Middle East, all our friends and allies!"

Because we didn't step forward, the Kremlin is very concerned about this issue; after all, what we lose is what the United States gains.

This is precisely the difference in how the Kremlin considers issues; they tend to approach them from a political perspective, while these marshals...
It's about war, about how the Soviet Union could survive in the next World War III!
But first and foremost, the Kremlin’s opinion is more important than theirs.

"Then what should we do?"

A marshal asked, his tone filled with anxiety.

"Increase aid to Syria!"

Someone immediately suggested, "We can provide them with more ammunition and more military advisors to help them rebuild their air defense system."

This is what they do best, and what they have always been doing. After each failure, the Soviet Union would provide more aid, just to tell the other side - I have not abandoned you!
“That’s already being done,” Ustinov shook his head, “but it’s not enough.”

"Then give them even more advanced weapons!"

Another marshal said, "Send over our latest S-300 missiles and MiG-29 fighter jets, let the SEA people taste their power! I believe our weapons are no worse than theirs!" Ustinov nodded, a complex look flashing in his eyes:

"The MiG-29s and new missiles will be deployed as soon as possible, but comrades, weapons need people to operate them. Syrian soldiers need time to familiarize themselves with this equipment, and we don't have that much time."

In fact, one of the most fundamental reasons for halting MiG-29 deliveries before the war was the inadequate training of Syrian pilots. They did not want to see the Soviet Union's most advanced fighter jet shot down and become a laughing stock worldwide.

He also doesn't want to see Syrians get new aircraft, rush into the battlefield before they've even learned how to use them, and then have them shot down.

He stood up, walked to the map, and traced the Mediterranean Sea with his finger:

"The most crucial thing now is to show the world the strength of the Soviet Union. The SEA victory will mislead the West into thinking that we are weak and easy to bully, which will give them the ambition to engage in military adventures!"

Just like Hitler's invasion, if we hadn't suffered a setback in Finland, how could Hitler have dared to invade our country?
Therefore, we must dispel this misconception!
Only by making them fear our power will they dare not provoke us easily, much less take any military risks. Moreover, only then will our allies feel secure in following us.

And this is also the Kremlin's stance!

Silence fell again in the conference room as everyone pondered a way to break the deadlock. Then, Admiral Gorshkov, who had been silent all along, raised his head, a sharp glint in his eyes:

"Our aircraft carrier."

All eyes were on him. Gorshkov continued:

"If the SEA and Britain can send aircraft carrier fleets to the Mediterranean, why can't we?"
Send our carrier strike group to the waters off Syria to demonstrate our fleet power! Didn't we build aircraft carriers precisely because we had to make concessions during the previous standoff when they had them?

But now we also have aircraft carriers whose performance is no less than theirs. Now that we have them, we should demonstrate them.

His voice was strong and clear:

"This is not about starting a war, but about 'flexing our muscles.' When our carrier battle groups appear in the Mediterranean, when Soviet warplanes take off from their carriers to patrol, the whole world will understand that the Soviet Union will not stand idly by while its allies are bullied, and our resolve and strength are beyond question."

Ustinov frowned and pondered:
"What if their fleet provokes us or even launches an attack? That could trigger a direct conflict."

"They are not crazy."

Gorshkov stated unequivocally:
"The SEA people are well aware that there are no winners in a direct war between us. They send their fleet to combat terrorist organizations, and we send our fleet to protect Syria. We can reach an agreement with them, forcing them to respect our position on the Syrian issue instead of ignoring us."

This is a contest of wills; whoever backs down first will lose.

The arrival of our fleet in Syria will not only stabilize the morale of our allies but also force the SEA to moderate its operations; this is currently the most effective approach.

Why did he say that? Because it was with his full support that the Soviet Union built real aircraft carriers over the years, but even so, it still faced pressure from all sides.

Especially the minister in front of us. Compared to aircraft carriers, it prefers heavy aircraft-carrying cruisers.

If it weren't for the humiliating defeats he had suffered previously, he probably wouldn't have made concessions on aircraft carriers. But concessions are only temporary. If the marshal couldn't see the value of aircraft carriers, would the Soviet Union still have such an urgent need to build them?

Or will they continue to build even more powerful aircraft carriers? These are all unknowns, but as the Navy Commander and the Admiral, he must make full use of this crisis.

Only by demonstrating the role of aircraft carriers to everyone would they agree to continue building more and more advanced aircraft carriers, and only in this way could the Soviet Union's overseas interests be protected.

This is a golden opportunity, so we must seize it.

After all, even during the Ethiopian crisis, they were unwilling to send an aircraft carrier to the Red Sea to demonstrate their power.

But now—pressure from the Kremlin will force them to uniformly send aircraft carriers to the Mediterranean to confront Western countries, thereby demonstrating Soviet power.

The meeting room fell silent. The marshals exchanged glances, all seeing agreement in each other's eyes. Ustinov looked at Gorshkov and slowly nodded.
"Okay. Let's do it this way. Send our entire Minsk carrier battle group there immediately, heading to the Syrian waters in the Mediterranean."

His gaze swept over the crowd again, and his tone was firm: "Tell the world that the power of the Soviet Union is everywhere, and anyone who tries to challenge our interests will pay the price."

The marshals rose and saluted Ustinov. The meeting room door was opened, and people left the room.

As Admiral Gorshkov walked out of the Ministry of Defense, he stood on the steps and looked up at the falling snowflakes, a slight smile on his face.

Alright... this is the moment he's been waiting for.

(End of this chapter)