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Russia Escalates Military Action In Syria

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This image taken from video provided by the Syrian activist-based media group Syrian Revolutionary Command Council in Hama, which has been verified and is consistent with other AP reporting, shows smoke rising after a Russian airstrike hit buildings in the town of Latamna in the area of Hama in Eastern Syria, Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2015. (Syrian Revolutionary Command Council in Hama via AP Video)
This image taken from video provided by the Syrian activist-based media group Syrian Revolutionary Command Council in Hama, which has been verified and is consistent with other AP reporting, shows smoke rising after a Russian airstrike hit buildings in the town of Latamna in the area of Hama in Eastern Syria, Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2015. (Syrian Revolutionary Command Council in Hama via AP Video)

Russian ships launched missiles at targets in Syria today, as Syrian ground forces initiated their first major ground offensive since Moscow started conducting airstrikes a week ago.

Today's ground offensive is in the north, not an area where ISIS is in control. But the al-Qaida group the Nusra Front is active in this area.

Here & Now's Jeremy Hobson speaks with Russian politics expert Richard Sakwa about what President Vladimir Putin is trying to do in Syria.

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This segment aired on October 7, 2015.

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