U.S. General: Russia Used Syria as ‘Live-Fire Training’

An American general is accusing Russia of using its intervention in the Syrian civil war to prop up President Bashar al-Assad as a “live-fire training opportunity.” While Russia has denied that it targets civilians, Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, the U.S. Army commander for Europe, said Russia’s “disregard for civilian casualties... is not the conduct of a nation that wants to be treated like a superpower.” Russia’s government said Thursday that it has killed 35,000 fighters in the country since it first intervened. Hodges continued: “What we see in Syria of course is a demonstration of capabilities and using weapons that are not necessary.”