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Russian Defense Ministry comments Pentagon's accusations of irresponsibility

A spokesman for the staff of the Pentagon's Operation Inherent Resolve called the Russian airstrikes in Syria reckless, indiscriminate and irresponsible
Russian Defense Ministry Sergei Karpov/ITAR-TASS
Russian Defense Ministry
© Sergei Karpov/ITAR-TASS

MOSCOW, October 30. /TASS/. Russian Defense Ministry has commented on the claims that US Colonel Steve Warren, a spokesman for the staff of the Pentagon's Operation Inherent Resolve, made earlier this month calling the Russian airstrikes in Syria reckless, indiscriminate and irresponsible.

Specifically, Col. Warren said some of the strikes delivered by the crews of Russia's Aerospace Force in Syria had allowed the Islamic State to maneuver. He also claimed the Russian air force was mostly using regular bombs against terrorists something that was reckless and irresponsible, according to him.

"I made a hint to Col. Warren back a week ago that the military affairs are to be tackled professionally, not as a matter of chatting but my hint didn't work," the ministry's official spokesman, Gen Igor Konashenkov said.

He recalled he had said many a time in the course of his daily briefings for mass media that the Russian jets had the most advanced targeting systems, which made it possible literally speaking to hit a spade handle from big enough an altitude. "As for the specialized munitions, we use them only over the appropriate facilities controlled by terrorists," Gen Konashenkov said.

"More than that, unlike Col. Warren we not only say but we also show the public at large graphically the data of video control of our airstrikes because it's much better to see once than to hear a hundred times," he said.

"And if you take Col Warren's claims about the terrorists' maneuvering, supposedly after our strikes, what can I add to it?" Gen Konashenkov said. "Quite possibly, the terrorists stand captivated and chant 'Encore!' after each US attack on them. And then they invite their counterparts from around the world to watch the show."

"It's difficult to understand, though, why the terrorists managed to seize and to place under their control a greater part of Syria after a years of such bombings," he said.