Why is Russia expected to further increase its presence in Syria? Four experts parse the geopolitics

In the past few weeks, Russia has expanded its military presence in Syria, sending troops, weapons, battle tanks, air missile systems and planes — including 28 jets and 14 helicopter gunships — to support the Bashar Al-Assad’s regime. Just this Tuesday, satellite images released by IHS Janes, a security and defense analysis organization, highlighted a build-up of Russian forces in the province of Latakia. The National Post asked four experts to assess the impact of Russia’s military escalation and what it may mean for Israel in particular. Their discussions have been edited for space.

Moshe Ma’oz, professor of Middle Eastern …