Report: Russia Test-Fired Tens of Strategic Weapons During War on

Report: Russia Test-Fired Tens of Strategic Weapons During War on Terrorism
in Syria
Dec 27, 2016 4:45
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13951007000852

TEHRAN (FNA)- Moscow has test-fired a wide range of strategic weapons since
the start of its military operation against terrorists in Syria, media
sources disclosed.

The Arabic language Sham Time news website reported that since September
2015 that Russia joined war on terrorism at the official request of the
Syrian government, over 160 advanced weapons of Russia have been tested in
targeting terrorist centers.

Sham Times further added that Su-30SM, Su-34 fighter jets, Ka-52
helicopters, KALIBR and Mi-28N cruise missiles have been among the weapons
used in Syria.

The Russian military said last week that the county’s warplanes conducted
71,000 airstrikes and killed at least 35,000 terrorists since the start of
Russia’s anti-terror campaign in Syria.

“Since the start of the operation, Russian jets have conducted 17,800
sorties, launching 71,000 strikes on terrorists’ infrastructure, eliminating
725 training camps, 405 plants producing ammunition, 1,500 pieces of
terrorists’ military equipment, 35,000 militants, including 204 field
commanders,” Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said.

“In general, the operation [in Syria] allowed to solve a number of
geopolitical problems: international terrorist organizations have been dealt
a serious blow in Syria, their spread in the region has been stopped, the
financial support of militant groups… has been disrupted, the collapse of
the Syrian state has been prevented, while the chain of ‘color revolutions’
in the Middle East and Africa has been broken,” he added.

Russia began its air campaign against the terrorist groups in Syria on
September 2015, at the request of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. While
killing thousands of militants, Moscow also suffered military losses.

On September 30, 2015 Russian bombers conducted their first strikes against
terrorist targets in Syria, hitting ISIL positions near the cities of Homs
and Hama.

By that time the US-led coalition had been already active in Syria for over
a year. Yet Russia became the only state which received an official request
from Bashar Assad to carry out air strikes in the country. The Russian
fighter jets operated from the Humeimim air base located in Lattakia
province.

During its mission, the Russian Air Force aided the Syrian army in
liberating one of the country’s key cities and a world heritage site –
Palmyra (Tadmur) in Homs province.

The ancient city had been under the control of ISIL since May 2015 before it
was retaken by Syrian government forces backed by Russian air raids in March
this year. However, ISIL kicked off a large-scale operation on December 8,
2016, with thousands of forces in Homs province to take control of Palmyra,
and finally managed to capture the city on December 11.

On March 15, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the withdrawal of the
majority of Russian warplanes and personnel from Syria, stressing that the
major part of the operation in Syria was over.

“I believe that the objectives with which the Ministry of Defense has been
tasked have been largely reached,” Putin said, adding that “Therefore,
starting with tomorrow I order the withdrawal of the main part of our
military from the Syrian Arab Republic.”