Russian Bombers Wipe out Terrorist Targets in Syria with Cruise Missiles

MOSCOW- Russian strategic bombers hit command centers belonging to the terrorists and munitions depots in Syria with Kh-101 cruise missiles, Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Igor Konashenkov said on Tuesday.

“Tu-95MS strategic bombers delivered a strike with cruise missiles at terrorist groups’ targets in Syria. The bombers took off from the Engels airfield in Russia and flew over Iran and Iraq,” he said, according to Itar Tass.

“The strategic bombers’ crews fired cruise missiles Kh-101 at most important Islamic State and Al-Nusra (both outlawed in Russia as terrorist organizations) targets detected by reconnaissance in the provinces of Deir ez-Zor and Idlib. The sudden strike hit terrorists’ command centers, areas of concentration of militants and their weapons, as well as munitions depots. Objective control data confirmed that all targets have been hit,” he said.

 The Kh-101 is the Russian strategic airborne cruise missile based on modern stealth technologies. It is capable of striking targets at a distance of up to 4,500 km. Kh-101 missiles can carry nuclear warheads.

The details of the operation

All targets hit by Russia’s planes were located at a distance from populated areas and safely away from positions of US commando units and militants of the Syrian Democratic Forces:

“The attacks against the Islamic State near Deir ez-Zor were carried out to support successful offensive operations by the Syrian army to wipe out the terrorists’ last stronghold. In particular, I would like to emphasize the fact that all the targets hit were outside populated areas and safely away from US commandos’ strongholds and militants of the Syrian Democratic Forces located in the Islamic State-held areas,” the spokesman said.

Konashenkov added that aerial images of the vicinity of Deir ez-Zor the Russian Defense Ministry presented earlier showed these facilities clearly enough.

“For the sake of ensuring the security of US forces and Kurdish groups we refrain from mentioning the exact locations of these strongholds,” he noted.

Konashenkov pointed out once again that the photos of ISIS strongholds taken over by US commando units showed no traces of hostilities.

“There are no craters artillery shells or air bombs might have left. Nor are there any guards or defense fortifications. On the basis of the two-year combat experience gained by Russian special forces operating in the rear of the ISIS forces one cannot but ask who the US commando units are fighting side by side and against whom,” he said.

“We have received no plausible explanations on that score yet,” he said.

Earlier, the Defense Ministry published on its official Facebook page a series of aerial images of the area of Deir ez-Zor and marked the locations of US commando units. The Defense Ministry then said that US commandoes were arranging for the free passage of the Syrian Democratic Forces’ militants through ISIS combat formations.

Russian army puts up bridge in record time to deploy heavy arms, aid across Euphrates

Meanwhile, the Russian road service military experts have erected a bridge across the Euphrates River, a few kilometers away from Deir ez-Zor in northeastern Syria. It will be used to deploy military equipment and troops to the eastern river bank.

The MARM small motorway panel bridge was erected in less than two days under continuous shelling, Head of the Russian Defense Ministry’s Road Service Vladimir Burovtsev told reporters.

“Unmanned aerial vehicles were used. Explosive substances and grenades were falling on us from the air during the installation work. However, we have no losses. No injured or affected. Everything was erected in the set terms,” he specified.

The bridge is 210 meters long. It can serve 8,000 cars a day. The bridge supports heavy armored vehicles, such as tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and multiple-launch rocket systems, Burovtsev said. The bridge will also be used for aid convoys to liberated communities and medical evacuations.

The Syrian army liberated most part of Deir ez-Zor in early September. ISIS terrorist organization’s main forces were forced to retreat to the opposite, or eastern side of the river bank.

Ahead of the bridge’s construction, only the advance detachments of the Syrian army crossed the river with the use of pontoons. Now the main government forces are preparing for mass crossing of the Euphrates.

Russian Defense Ministry calls on UN to increase humanitarian aid to Syria

Also, the Russian Defense Ministry has called on the UN to increase its humanitarian supplies to Syria and contribute to the country’s restoration, the ministry’s press service reported on Tuesday.

“On September 26, a meeting between Deputy Head of the [Defense Ministry’s] International Military Cooperation’s main department, Major General Yevgeny Ilin and Deputy Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General Ramzy Ezzeldin Ramzy took place in Moscow. The situation in Syria and prospects of stronger humanitarian cooperation between the UN and the Russian Defense Ministry have been discussed,” the report says.

It was noted that “a Russian Defense Ministry official reported on national reconciliation committees’ activity in de-escalation zones and called on the UN to increase it humanitarian aid and provide help in the country’s post-war revival.”

The parties noted the importance of results achieved at the sixth international meeting in Astana on Syria. “Establishment and normal operation of de-escalation zones provides conditions for a comprehensive process of political settlement of the crisis in Syrian,” the Russian Defense Ministry noted.

Contacts between the Russian Defense Ministry and the UN will continue, the ministry added.

H.M