text: .
  
  "Warplanes from the U.S.-led coalition operating over Syrian government-controlled areas west of the Euphrates River will be tracked as potential targets, Russia’s Defence Ministry said Monday, a day after the U.S. military shot down a Syrian air force jet."
  
  --
  
  Is that supposed to be some kind of threat?
  
  Note that Putin says he'll only "track" US warplanes.
  
  That's because he wouldn't dare do anything more.
  
  In a conventional military confrontation with the US military, Russia doesn't stand a chance.
  
  They are out-gunned and out-technologied by the US armed forces in the area, and they know it.
  
  Unless Vlad is willing to go nuclear he can only bluster and bluff because he will be humiliated if he puts his forces up against the US military, to say nothing of the other forces in the coalition.
  
  Notice how carefully the Russian Defence Ministry phrased their response?
  
  "will be tracked as potential targets."
  
  100% bluster.
  
  And what will Assad do?
  
  A big nothing.
  
  .