Russian Federation continues Syrian air strikes

The BBC’s Steve Rosenberg in Moscow says that in the Russian Defence Ministry video soldiers can be seen writing messages on the bombs before loading them onto the aircraft – phrases like: “This is revenge for our dead” and “This is for Paris”.

Russian Tupolev-95MS strategic bombers launched twelve cruise missiles from the Russian territory at the facilities and installations controlled by the Islamic State in Syria, including a missile targeted at the terrorist grouping’s headquarters in the city of Idlib.

The Russian air force and navy have ratcheted up raids against IS targets in Syria since last Tuesday after Moscow identified the October 31 Russian plane crash over Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula a terrorist attack.

Syrian government troops are advancing on “nearly every front” thanks to Russian air strikes that began in September, President Bashar al-Assad said in an interview released Sunday.

The US-led coalition fighting IS claimed on Monday to have destroyed 116 fuel trucks used by militants in eastern Syria, in one of the largest raids in weeks.

While doubts remain about whether the US would work with Russia, there have been some tentative signs of a shift in Washington, with President Obama praising Russian leader Vladimir Putin as a “constructive partner” in diplomatic efforts to end the Syrian war. If he backs up his word with actions, Putin’s pledge could prove to be a turning point in the military campaign against ISIS in Syria.

Meanwhile, Turkey has warned Russian Federation that it must immediately stop bombing “civilian Turkmen villages” in Syria, close to the Turkish border.

He also tasked the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces to make regular reports on the missions and progress made by the Russian army in Syria.

United States and French planes have also struck at oil targets in Deir el-Zour and elsewhere.

Yesterday Russian president Vladmir Putin confirmed it was an Islamic State bomb which brought down the doomed Russian passenger jet. Officials at the airport in the Lebanese capital of Beirut said the airport will close for three days as of Friday midnight due to Russian military drills in the Mediterranean Sea.