Putin claims support to Syrian rebels

Vladimir Putin has vowed to further modernise Russian arsenals and said his military in Syria will “immediately destroy” any target threatening them.

“I order you to act in the toughest way”, Mr Putin said. “Any targets threatening Russia’s (military) group or our land infrastructure must be immediately destroyed”, Putin told the generals.

“By and large, there’s been no major change in calculus from what we’ve seen them hit, and they are largely continuing to hit opposition”, Kirby added.

A Russian pilot was killed in the downing of the Su-24 bomber, as was a marine sent on a rescue mission, badly damaging the normally close ties between Ankara and Moscow.

Russian Federation says its actions in Syria are based on self-preservation. According to Russia’s Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu the impact of Islamic State is becoming bigger in Syria, as almost 70 percent of the country is controlled by militants.

Turkey, a member of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and of the U.S.-led coalition that is bombing Islamic State in Syria, has long called for Assad’s overthrow.

Since Russia’s air campaign began on September 30, Russia has also been using an airbase in Latakia, in the northwest, to strike targets in northern Syria.

President Vladimir Putin said on Friday Russia is supporting the opposition Free Syrian Army, providing it with air cover, arms and ammunition in joint operations with Syrian troops against Islamist militants.

“I want to warn those who may again try to stage provocations against our troops”, he said.

The United Nations says more than 9,000 people have been killed as a result of the clashes between the Ukrainian army and pro-Russian forces since the start of the conflict in eastern Ukraine in April 2014. “All this is a direct threat to Russian Federation and our military is defending first of all our own country”, he said.

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“Our actions are not dictated by some abstract, vague, geopolitical interests”, Putin said.

In Washington, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the top agenda item for Kerry in Moscow will be Russia’s failure to implement the Minsk ceasefire agreement.

Mr Shoigu said the military has received 35 new intercontinental ballistic missiles, 243 aircraft, 90 air defence systems and 1,172 tanks and other armoured vehicles this year.

Russian Federation intends to equip the nuclear triad with new modern weapons.