According to reports from RT, Russia struck against terrorists in Syria, sending cruise missiles and dropping bombs in the Homs and Idlib provinces.
"Today at 10:30 and 11:00 we launched a large-scale operation against the positions of Islamic State and Al-Nusra [terrorist groups] in the provinces of Idlib and Homs," Shoigu said at a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and the top leadership of the Russian Armed Forces.
The airstrike included aircraft from the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier, Russia's advanced flagship. Sukhoi SU-33 fighters were sent to deliver their destructive payloads.
"The main targets of the strikes are warehouses with ammunition, [terrorist] gatherings and terrorist training centers, as well as plants for the production of various kinds of weapons of mass destruction of the population," Shoigu detailed. "They are factories, not workshops, more specifically the plants for the production of all sorts of rather serious means of mass destruction."
While Dmitry Peskov (presidential spokesman) denied that Aleppo had been mentioned in the report of the defense minister, the AP reports that Aleppo was also struck from carrier jets and long-range missiles.
The Russian blitz began hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump discussed Syria over the phone and agreed on the need to combine efforts in the fight against what the Kremlin called their No. 1 enemy — "international terrorism and extremism."
Let that sink in a bit...
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said missiles fired from Russian warships in the Mediterranean struck areas in Aleppo province and on the eastern edge of nearby Idlib. The Observatory's chief, Rami Abdurrahman, said the areas hit with missiles are strongholds of jihadi groups, including the al-Qaida affiliate known as Fatah al-Sham Front.
Fox News also reports that cruise missiles struck Aleppo, after a three week reprieve.
Russian fighter jets launched from an airbase along Syria’s coast to participate in the new airstrikes. Six Su-33 jets from Russia’s aircraft carrier, Admiral Kuznetsov, were moved to the old Bassel al-Assad airport in the coastal province of Latakia on Saturday, according to officials, to take part in the strikes.
Meanwhile:
“Russian Air Force aircraft as well as Syrian air forces have not bombed Aleppo for the last 28 days at all,” Konashenkov said in the RT article.
It's tough to wade through the information coming through the press and be assured we can arrive at the truth. What do you think?
Steemin' on,
Another Joe
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